


Requiem

by Arithese



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Child Abuse, Emotional Trauma, F/M, Friendship, Misunderstanding, Nightmares, Rape/Non-con - Freeform, Though non-explicit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-07-15 23:29:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 11
Words: 28,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16073639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arithese/pseuds/Arithese
Summary: Wally and Artemis have been dating for a few months, and everything seemed perfect. Except, Wally is hiding a huge secret from everyone that loves him; his parents hate him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Requiem
> 
> Okay so first of all; this story isn't part of the timeline I'm building. This is outside of that timeline because in that timeline Wally's parents were arrested when he was 11, before the team was formed. But key facts are the same, like birth dates, date of them becoming heroes and how Dick and Wally met etc. Secondly, the story, albeit it largely being implicated only, can get a bit graphic. So be warned about that.
> 
> So just to be clear, this story can get quite graphic, and will explore themes that can possibly upset people, be warned about that! Though I will not go into detail about it, it is largely implied. In Chapter 7 there will be a very short mention of it. There will be appropriate warnings under each chapter, and I will mention when there will be.

May 18th, 2011. 18:57

"Wally would you set the table?" Paula asks from the kitchen and Wally immediately stands up from the couch, grinning.

"On it!" He confirmed to Artemis' mother, quickly rushing around the house in Gotham to get the table set for dinner. He grinned as he put the plates on the table, looking around to see Paula rolling in with her wheelchair, looking at the table with satisfaction.

"Fast" She complimented, rolling over to the speedster with a direct gaze. "Be honest here Wally, did you eat anything beforehand?" She asks and Wally grins, scratching the back of his neck uneasily, tips of his ears burning with embarrassment. He knew what Paula meant with that question.

Ever since Artemis and Wally had gotten together on New Years Eve, Wally had visited Artemis' house numerous times, and eaten dinner with Paula. But being a speedster made eating dinner with normal people difficult, so he used to eat himself full before going to dinner so he wouldn't force Paula to mass-produce.

She found out eventually when Paula and Artemis joined Barry and Iris for dinner once, and Paula saw how much Wally actually ate for dinner, and still not be full. Ever since she has been trying to stop Wally's habit, without much success.

"Maybe a little" Wally pouts, the sentence was immediately met with a slap to his arm. "Ow, Paula!" He cried out in fake pain, gaping at her but Paula just glared at him. He knew it was all in good fun though, but man, she sure was scary when she tried to be.

"You know better than to eat before dinner, you know we would not be weirded out with your eating habits" Paula jokes and Wally smiles gently, looking up as Artemis walks into the room as well.

"I mean, she wouldn't" Artemis snorts, catching Wally's gaze whilst Wally could only look at Artemis carrying a large bowl of food. I on the other hand would, she silently added but the implication was crystal clear.

"You love me" Wally grins, zipping over to her to take the bowl from her hands.

"I'm starting to think you love my mom more than me" Artemis counters, allowing Wally to set the bowl on the table before sitting down. Wally just smiled, watching Paula roll herself over to the table as well before sitting down.

"You know me too well" Wally teases and Artemis glares at him for good measure. Paula just smiled contently, watching her daughter and her daughter's boyfriend, who has become more like a son to her as of late, bicker. Despite being in a relation, this bickering and stupid remarks didn't end.

And Paula was glad Artemis had found such a gentlemen like Wally. He had made her open up so much more without forcing her to be someone she wasn't, and Artemis had quieted Wally down to a manageable level without taking away who he was as well.

Still, Paula suspected there was something more going on with him than he let on.

May 18th, 2011. 22:53

"Do you need anything else Wally?" Paula asks with a low voice, wheeling into the room Jade and Artemis used to share before she was sent to prison, and looking at the speedster. The latter was busy making his bed for the night, surprisingly moving at normal speed.

"I'm good" He answers with a smile, glancing up at Paula for a second. "Thanks for letting me stay.. again" Wally adds sheepishly and Paula smiled brightly at the remark.

"You are always welcome Wally" She tells him. Only because she knows I won't do anything. Wally mentally smirks as he looks at Artemis. Two reasons for that actually; one, he wouldn't betray Paula's trust of letting both him and Artemis stay in the same room overnight, and two; he had no desire to go any ..further.

Not yet. Not now.

"I will leave you two alone" Paula says, turning around.

"Night" Wally greets Paula as she disappears, closing the door behind her and turning around. "I don't know about you, but I'm beat" Wally smiled, wrapping his arms around Artemis' waist and kissing her on the nose.

"Really?" Artemis challenged, tugging at the hem of his shirt but Wally stopped her gently, taking her wrists and putting it on his own chest instead, looking at the blonde with loving eyes.

"Really" He confirms, kissing her quickly again, this time on the mouth, before giving her a push towards the bed. Artemis just rolled her eyes, lifting the blanket and burying herself under. Wally looks at Artemis for a while, before turning around and crawling into Jade's old bed as well.

His dreams filled with nightmares of his dad.

May 21st, 2011. 22:15

"Guys, get a room" Dick laughed, throwing a pillow at them, which Artemis caught swiftly, before throwing it back at him.

"You have your own" Artemis shrugs, snuggling against Wally again. The trio was currently alone in the cave. M'gann and Superboy were both spending a few days at the farm of Superman's parents, and Kaldur was spending his free time in Atlantis, all three not expected to come home for at least a few more days.

So Robin felt no obligation to wear his disguise, and was currently sitting on one of the comfortable chairs in the living room, wearing a large shirt, Wally willingly let him borrow, and some boxers.

"You're just jealous dude" Wally snickers and Dick rolls his eyes.

"Of you?" He counters, pointing at the two with a smirk.

"That I had the balls to admit my love for my crush" Wally snickers, the implication to Dick's crush on Barbara all too evident. "But don't worry, we're already gone" He continues before he stands up, offering Artemis a hand, who accepted with an eyeroll before untangling her hands from the speedster.

"Just ask her out Dick, she's obviously head over heels for you" Artemis said as Wally already walked over to the hallway where the bedrooms were located, out of range so he wouldn't be able to hear the conversation. Dick huffs, bringing his knees closer to his chest.

"I'm only 14 Artemis, beating up criminals is something else than a relationship" He spoke slowly. "Besides, Babs and I are great friends." Artemis smirked, secretly touched by the 'problems' Dick was facing right now, it was rare for Dick to upset about something that wasn't related to his 'Robin' personna.

But that didn't mean Artemis wasn't going to stop herself from teasing him relentlessly.

"I was 15 when kid clutz kissed me, and last time I checked, Barbara is 15"

"And last time I checked I was 14, and Wally was 16" Dick retorts and Artemis snickers, shaking her head.

"In two months you won't, but whatever floats your boat Boy Wonder" Artemis says with a smile before turning around. "Night"

She watched him for a second, earning a softer 'goodnight' back before the Boy Wonder focused on the TV again.

She lingered for another second, but eventually walked away towards Wally's room.

May 22nd, 2011. 07:58

"Morning" Dick grinned as he saw Artemis walk into the room, rubbing her tired eyes as if she was trying to get rid of the sleep and the exhausted mood she was in right now. Artemis looks at him warily.

"I think you meant night" Artemis mutters, walking over to him and gratefully accepting the cup of tea he had already made for her. She muttered a barely audible thanks as she leaned against the counter, sipping the tea. Dick was sitting on the counters watching her, legs dangling over it and swinging back and forth slightly.

He was wearing some sweatpants and a hoodie, his hair messier than ever.

Artemis was still wearing her PJ's as well, hair as messy as Dick's hair but she didn't care, neither of them did. They were like one big family, they had grown into one over the course of the last year. The last thing she cared about was Dick seeing her fatigued face or her PJ's.

"Couldn't sleep either?" Artemis asks as she takes another sip, her mind clearing a bit already.

"Not really, I don't do '8 hours' anymore" Dick explains before grinning up at her. "So why couldn't you sleep? Too busy doing-"

"God, stop right there!" Artemis' face scrunches up at the implication. "I'm pretty sure this falls under the category of 'none of your business'" Artemis says, shaking her head with a sour expression on her face.

"Is he always fast?" Dick cackles, just teasing Artemis right now, because to be honest, she was easy to rile up sometimes.

"I am so glad I'm the youngest in the family" She mutters, looking right at him. "We didn't do anything, not now, not in the past" She cleared up, walking out of the kitchen and sitting down on the couch instead, wrapping both her hands around the mug. Dick jumps off the counter before he walks after her, plopping down on the same couch as her.

But not to tease her, because while he loved to tease his teammates, especially Artemis, he also knew when to stop and when it wasn't funny anymore. Which is why Artemis tolerated his teasing to a certain extent, or rather, why she didn't straight up kill him for asking her about her.. life with Wally.

There was a long silence, in which both busied themselves separately until Artemis scraped her throat.

"You're his best friend right?" Artemis asks and Dick frowns in confusion, Artemis knew they were so why would she ask? "I mean, he tells you everything right?"

"I hope so" Dick answers, still confused. Artemis sighs, bringing her legs onto the couch, one brought up to her chest and one underneath her.

"Why doesn't he want to.. take the next step?" Any other time Dick would've teased her about asking that question, but right now he was just concerned, and maybe slightly horrified as he was just a kid. And that showed on his face, as it scrunches up in disgust almost before he softens his expression again.

"To be honest, I've asked that as well" He admits, looking up at Artemis. "Don't get me wrong, despite him flirting with every female before you two were a thing, and his mostly inappropriate jokes.. he's a great guy" Dick answers and Artemis nods.

"I know" She whispers.

"I mean sure he's a klutz or can be an asshole, but he's loyal to a fault and he cares… Maybe he wants to wait, maybe he wants you to be sure or something" Dick shrugs, feeling almost uncomfortable with the topic. "I mean he's clean"

"Dick!" Artemis screeches. "How do you even..?" She stops herself, groaning in frustration and glaring at him. 'Don't even answer that'. Dick merely shrugs.

"I tried to talk to him about it but he just says he isn't ready yet, or that he doesn't feel the need to do it" Dick says but the tone in his voice made it all too clear what he was thinking, there was something else going on for him to refuse making out with Artemis.

May 25th, 2011. 13:15

"Wally?" Paula asks, opening the door a little more for the speedster. "Artemis is not home right now" She continues with a slight frown but Wally shakes his head slowly with a smile plastered on his face.

"I'm not here for her" He says and Paula nods, giving Wally room to come in. The speedster steps into the apartment, closing the door behind him with a soft click and following Paula into the room.

"I didn't miss another appointment did I?" Paula asks with an almost worried voice. At this Wally smiles at her.

"You didn't, that's not why I'm here" Wally assures her, sitting down on the couch as Paula wheels her wheelchair into the free space they had cleared out especially for her wheelchair. Ever since Artemis and Wally got together, Wally has been spending more and more time with Paula, building a close relationship with each other.

They were like mother and son right now. And Wally visited Paula many times without Artemis being there, he helped her with groceries if Artemis was on a mission or busy with school, and even took Paula to her check-ups at the hospital or other places she wanted to go a Wally already had his driving license, and most importantly a car.

But that wasn't why he was here.

"I wanted to ask you.. Arty and I have been together for a few months and I wanted to do something. I know she isn't a fan of dates but I still wanted to do something.." He explains and Paula's face clears up, confusion draining from her face and she gleams slightly.

"Wally that's very sweet of you" Paula comments and Wally grins sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck. "Artemis doesn't like dates, she isn't like other girls" She continues and Wally nods.

"That's why I like her, but I'm sure thinking of something nice is a lot easier if she were" Wally chuckles and Paula smiles at him at the sentence, knowing all too well what Wally was hinting at. It was always a struggle to get something special for Artemis just because she didn't want it or anything special.

"Artemis has always been.. strong and independent after I was sent to prison" Paula spoke, smiling reassuringly as she felt the mood darken a bit. "Before the accident happened, and before my parents died, they used to take us to this restaurant near Portland. It was one of the few restaurants that was truly Vietnamese"

"And after.. everything you didn't go anymore?" Wally asks and Paula nods tiredly.

"She always loved it there, but after their death and my accident we couldn't go, and we were always there without Lawrence." Paula pinches the bridge of her nose, rubbing the tears away. "I am still on probation and not allowed to leave the state, but I am sure Artemis would love to go" She tells and Wally's expression softens.

"I can run you over if you want, or try Batman to make an exception to zeta you" Wally offers with a sly smile on his face but Paula shakes her head, looking up at him.

"I left my life of crime Wally, but I would love to go if I legally may" She smiles and Wally nods, standing up but Paula stops him. "Wally, can I ask something?"

Wally frowns lightly, sitting down again and nodding. "Of course, what is it?" Paula looks down, face filled with worry almost.

"I understand why you asked me for advice, this is about my own daughter. But this isn't the first time you asked for my advice" Paula says, looking up. "Why do you not go to your own mom for advice?" She asks and Wally winces, the movement too quick for Paula to even notice.

"I mean.. mom's not really.." He stops for a moment, scratching his neck. "She's just really different, she wouldn't understand. I mean they don't even know my secret. I guess it makes things a little harder" Wally tries to explain.

And it was true, his parents didn't know his secret. He wouldn't dare to let them know after everything they've done. He didn't trust them, they couldn't be trusted with so much information on the Justice League or the team. Because figuring out Wally was KF, would surely lead to more discoveries eventually.

It was also the excuse Wally had used to avoid Artemis meeting his parents. Both to avoid Artemis meeting horrible people, and to avoid Artemis discovering that he had horrible people as parents. Or worse, discover that his own parents hurt him. Ever since his birth, which made his mom permanently injured and ill, they had hated him.

And they took out that anger by hurting him.

And that was the reason he went to Paula for advice, not sometimes like Paula thought he did but every time. His own mother wouldn't help him. And Paula was more like a mother to him, had become more like a mother to him in these last few months, than Mary had ever been.

"But she is still your mother Wally" Paula says softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "She loves you and she would be heartbroken to hear you coming to me for advice" Or relieved. Wally adds grimly but doesn't say it out loud, he wanted to avoid getting her suspicious, not make her suspicious.

He wanted to keep his father's hobby a secret rather than expose himself.

"You could also tell them, I know firsthand how such a secret can tear a family apart" Paula spoke but Wally shook his head slowly, feeling an underlying panic seep into his chest at the thought of even telling his parents, or have a normal conversation with them in the first place.

"No way, they would freak.. I can't tell them Paula" Wally tries to reason before smiling widely. "It's okay though, it's nice to be normal somewhere besides school"

"Wally you are the only teen hero whose parents doesn't know" Paula tries but Wally just places his hand on top of Paula's.

"Paula it's fine, I'm not ready to tell yet but that's okay, I don't need Kid Flash in my own house" He speaks softly and Paula smiles sadly.

"If you say so"

Definitely suspicious.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Important warning: There will be mature themes in this chapter, nothing too explicit, but mature themes that can upset people nevertheless. There will be a warning at the end of the chapter, so if you are triggered by some themes, and you want to be sure you can check out the end. (I put it at the end to avoid eearly spoilers for those who do not want to be spoiled)

June 3rd 2011. 19:51

Wally grinned as Artemis kissed him again, closing his eyes for a second.

"Someone's eager" He grins, smiling through the kiss and Artemis scoffs, pulling him closer by his shirt, kissing him again. Wally smiled, putting his hands around Artemis waist, deepening the kiss. Artemis smirks through the kiss, parting from the lack of oxygen, looking into Wally's green eyes.

The speedster stares right back, mesmerised by her eyes. Artemis grins, kissing him again and releasing his shirt, dragging her fingers down his chest until she reached the hem of his shirt, sneaking her hands underneath. Wally almost stops her but Artemis pushes Wally against the wall, renewing the kisses.

And Wally smiled, giving Artemis permission to take the lead.

For now.

"You're annoying" Artemis grins, taking a shuddering breath, chest heaving from the lack of oxygen but Wally merely smirks, his hands trailing to the end of her shirt before slowly starting to lift it slightly, giving her enough time to stop him. And she does, wrapping her hands around his wrists and smirking before pulling her shirt off herself.

Wally smiles again, putting one hand on Artemis' cheek and kissing her softly again, before he feels her hands on his shirt again, tugging it upwards a little faster than he had just done. But he complies, raising his arms and allowing Artemis to take off his shirt. It wasn't like they hadn't been in this situation before.

Both with each other, or when they got injured on the job.

Artemis slowly trails her fingers along Wally's chest, focused on the few scars that remained on his body. The ones too bad to disappear even with his metabolism. She feels Wally tense slightly but she reaches for his hand, squeezing it gently and kissing it, Wally grins sheepishly, trailing down her body, mesmerised by her scars.

She had more, and not because her work was more dangerous. She was a ranged fighter mostly, he was a melee fighter. But Wally healed quicker, which meant scars disappeared quicker, and wounds that didn't scar healed quicker as well. Artemis however, still had healing wounds on her.

"You're beautiful" Wally whispers and Artemis snorts.

"And here I thought you weren't cliche" She kisses him again. "Or a flirt" She grins as Wally kisses her back, pushing her backwards until she felt her knees hit the bed, letting Wally direct her onto the bed. Artemis smirks again, hands trailing down his chest, his abs before reaching his belt.

"Arty wait" Wally suddenly whispers, disconnecting his lips and catching her wrists with super speed, wide-eyed.

"What's wrong Wally?" Artemis asks.

"I'm not ready yet Arty" Wally says and Artemis' gaze softens.

"I've seen you with less clothes when I patched you up, what's wrong?" Artemis asks again and Wally averts his gaze, wracking his brain for a good excuse.

"No touching the boxers?" Artemis asks with a snicker, kissing him again and Wally grins, returning the kiss.

"Deal" He breathes out, trailing kisses along her jaw as Artemis buckles with his belt, pushing the pants past his hips. Wally continues to kiss her, hoping to distract him from.. Artemis suddenly stops kissing, tearing her gaze downwards but Wally quickly catches her lips again, or trying to.

"Wally!" Artemis protests, creating some distance by putting her hands on his chest. "What are…" She trails off, staring at his inner thighs, now barely revealed, but clearly…

"Artemis I can-" Wally tries, scrambling upwards but Artemis had already rushed away from the bed.

"Are those..? Tell me those aren't-" Artemis stops herself, angry tears burning in her eyes as she looks at Wally, desperate for an explanation that he hadn't just.. after all these months.

"I can explain" Wally tries, but can't bring himself to stand up, numbness attacking him and he feels cold all over, heart beating wildly in his chest.

"I don't want an explanation" Artemis bites back. "I can't believe you, I can't believe you would do this. All those times you didn't want to-" She stops herself again, scoffing in disgust before reaching for her shirt, putting it on and leaving the room, leaving Wally all alone in his room.

He blinks, trying to comprehend what had just happened. Slowly he trails down to his legs, staring at the hickeys that were still on the inside of his legs. Hickeys Artemis could only of in one way.

Wally was cheating on her with someone else.

And Wally didn't have the guts to correct her.

June 2nd, 2011. 23:15. Previous night.

Wally could basically smell the alcohol by just seeing the opened beer bottles scattered over the floor. He slowly opened the door just enough for him to squeeze through, eyes focused on the floor. He would have to clean it up, after he found his dad and made sure that he was either asleep or passed out.

After he would check on his mom, who was probably just as wasted as his dad was, but actually responsible enough to get herself tucked into bed. Wally recoiled as the light was suddenly fully turned on, and Wally snapped his head up.

"Where 'v you b'n" His dad slurred, announcing his presence.

"I-I.. I was out with some friends" Wally tries, trying to walk to the stairs but the moment he made the first step his dad walked over to him. He could've run.. and yet, he couldn't. He couldn't risk his dad finding out his identity, and he couldn't as his muscles were now frozen with fear as his dad towered over him.

"You don't have any friends!" His dad slurred, slapping Wally hard. "Friends 'r more important'you than family?" He continued, slapping him so hard that Wally crumbled to the ground, more out of fear than anything else.

"I'm sorry dad, it won't happen again" He tries, scrambling backwards. Lie. It will happen again, because he won't quit being a hero, he would take the beating if it meant he could save other lives, keep his friends from getting hurt.

"'t'won't happen 'gain" Rudy said, mocking him and stepping over him so his legs were on either side of his son's waist. ""t won't" He repeated, grasping Wally's shirt and pulling him up slightly before dropping him. Wally went down hard, smacking the back of his head against the floor beneath him.

For a moment he could see stars dance in front of his eyes until he felt two pair of his hands on his belt. His eyes widened. No no no!

"Dad no!" Wally cried, struggling but Rudy delivered another blow before pulling his pants down. "Please don't" Wally whimpered, wiggling, trying to get away from his father but just like every time he did, the attempts were futile.

June 3rd, 2011. 20:32

Tears were now streaming down his face, tracing his fingers along his back and hissing as he felt the bruises still hurting. Hurting because his dad has pushed him down, hit him and forced him to stay still and.. Wally winces at the memory, wanting to scream, scream at the memory of his father giving him those hickeys.

For this exact reason, so he couldn't have a normal life away from him, whether his dad realised that, he had no idea.

He looks up for a second, staring at the door for another few minutes before reaching for his shirt and pants, putting it on as quickly as possible, before standing up and walking over to Artemis' room. The cave was silent, but he knew Artemis wasn't the only other teammate present at the cave right now.

He was just glad that he didn't see anyone during his trip towards Artemis' room.

"A-Artemis?" He asks, voice low but there was no response. He quickly wiped away the tears, typing in the code used to lock Artemis' room, and Wally was grateful that Artemis hadn't changed the code in the few minutes after her discovery. The door slid open, revealing Artemis in her costume, ready to leave.

"Get out!" She hisses but Wally doesn't, rooted to the ground.

"Let me explain, please" Wally tries, not even knowing what he would say, what excuse he was going to make for this.

"And I told you, I don't want an explanation" Artemis bites back, reaching for her quiver with arrows and walking to him, but still Wally doesn't move. "This is why you didn't want to have sex with me? Because you've been cheating?!" She screams, shoving him backwards, hard. But he still kept his ground.

And he didn't say anything, he didn't know what.

"Do I know her?! Does she even know you already hav- had someone?!" She screams, and for some reason, hearing her correct herself to past tense, hurt more than the slap his father had given him yesterday. "Is it even a she?!" She continues, not realising what she was implying until Wally stays silent, suddenly tensing.

"Oh God" Artemis breathes out. "You're.. you're cheating on me with a boy!?" It wasn't even a question anymore.

"Artemis I-" Wally tries again, tears burning again but he refused to let them fall. He was cut off however when Artemis' hand suddenly connected with his cheek. And before he could comprehend what had just happened, the zeta tube announced her departure. He stares for what feels like hours, but was only a few seconds.

His steps felt heavy as he made his way to the zeta tube, not really knowing what to do.

"Dude why is Artemis mad?" Dick suddenly asks, walking up to the speedster. The latter chokes on a sob, not responding verbally. "Wally?" Dick asks but Wally still doesn't respond, clicking open his ring and changing into his Kid Flash costume before Dick could even see what was happening.

I'm sorry. He wanted to say, but his throat was closed up right now. He didn't turn back to look at his best friend, zipping into the zeta tube and hearing it announce his departure. He had no idea where he materialised but he didn't care, just running, he had to get away, away from the world he knew.

He stopped when he reached the end of a mountain, looking down. He knew no one was around for miles, so he threw his head back and screamed. Long, hard, agonising. He sunk to his knees, sobbing and curling up on himself, whole form shaking. And for once it wasn't because he was a speedster.

He didn't know where he was, or how long he'd run but he didn't care. He could only replay the moment in his head, over and over again.

He could just jump now. End it right here. No more abuse, no facing his teammates.

And yet, he couldn't.

He was Kid Flash, he couldn't just kill himself and leave civilians to survive on their own because of selfish reasons. He couldn't leave Iris and Barry, he couldn't leave the Flash without a sidekick. He couldn't break the promise he made Dick, that they'd grow older than 20 at least, and not leave him.

He couldn't lose another close to him, not after his parents.

But he could jump.

He recoiled, scrambling backwards and heaving. NO! He couldn't. But he could.

Horrified by his own thoughts he slowly rose to his feet, wiping away the tears. He couldn't do that, he couldn't be selfish. And as he looked down at his phone, he realised he had been running for almost an hour. He sighs, no point in running anymore, he was tired and just wanted to crash at Barry's place.

Because in the weekend he'd train with the Flash, he was allowed to stay over to sleep, and it was the only thing that made him want to go back right now, knowing that he didn't have to spend the night at his parents' house.

June 3rd, 2011. 22:03

"Wally"

The speedster pales at the voice, feeling his blood turn ice cold, he recognised that tone, and it definitely wasn't a good one. Slowly Wally walked over to the living room, staring at his uncle before slowly turning to the figure standing next to him, Green Arrow. Or rather; Artemis' 'uncle'.

"Tell me it isn't true" He hissed and Wally recoiled again, eyes widening slightly.

"Ollie" Barry tried to calm down the archer but the billionaire doesn't listen, taking an angry step forwards, Wally taking one backwards. They knew, Barry knew, Iris knew, they all knew.

"You son of a bitch, you said you would never hurt her!" Ollie raged, fists shaking at his side. He did, he did promise that he would never hurt Artemis, and he just did.

"Wally, tell me there is an explanation for this" Wally almost wanted to snort at his Uncle's words, because there was, but he couldn't say. "Kiddo say something please"

"I'm sorry Uncle Barry, Oliver" He spoke in a low voice and Ollie growled lowly in his throat, walking up to Wally and towering over him, like his dad always did. Wally bit back a whimper that was trying to escape from the back of his throat, willing himself not to shake in fear.

"I liked you kid, so I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt. I won't kill you but you aren't welcome near my city or my house until Artemis forgives you. And you better stay away from my kids" Including Roy. Was silently added but Wally wasn't planning on initiating contact with his older brother.

Not now they surely knew what he had done to Artemis.

He snapped his head up, suddenly alone with his uncle, who stood there, unsure what to do or what to say.

"Can we talk about this tomorrow?" Wally asks, hoping to just go to bed and bury himself in his blankets. He wasn't even tired, but he would pretend just to get away from his uncle right now.

"You should go home" Barry spoke suddenly and Wally snapped his head up again and panic filling him.

"What?" He asks, squeaking. No no no, not home, he couldn't go home.

"What you've done kiddo, that's unacceptable. You can't cheat on someone." Barry spoke lowly. "You can always call me if Artemis wasn't correct, because I will take your word over hers but if it's true… you better get home" He continued and Wally stared.

"But.. but what about training.?" He stammered and Barry sighs.

"No training this weekend kiddo"

"But uncle Barr-"

"Kid, this is unacceptable.. what you've done. No training, that's a final" Barry said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm really sorry kiddo" He says but Wally ignores him, taking a few steps back.

"No need to apologise" Wally mumbles, turning around and leaving the house.

June 3rd, 2011. 23:15

"Worthless!" Rudy growled above him, striking him again. "Piece of shit, good for nothing" He ranted, striking him with every insult.

"Please stop" Wally whimpered, trying to protect his head with his arms.

"Barry didn't even want you, that's why he sent you home!" Rudy roared, striking his arm and Wally cried out in pain, biting down on his tongue until he tasted blood. "Nobody loves you"

No no no, he had friends, family who cared for him.

Barry sent you home.

He said he was sorry.

"You're just a cry baby" Another hit.

He didn't mean it, he sent you home.

He loves me, I should tell.

The voice sneered. No one will believe you.

They will.. they will.

Artemis didn't listen to you, didn't give you the chance to explain.

He felt hands roaming downwards again.

I didn't try, I could have, she would've listened.

She wouldn't have.

She would have.

She wouldn't have listened, she doesn't care.

Pain.

She does..

Nobody cares, you're worthless.

… I'm worthless.

Nobody cares about your problems, nobody cares about you.

…

The voice was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I also just realised I put TMNT above instead of YJYJ when I first posted this chapter xD, guess I'm just too used to writing TMNT stories)  
> See ya!
> 
> And here below you can see the warnings:
> 
> Warnings for rape!, child abuse, and making out. (Kissing mostly


	3. Chapter 3

June 5th, 2011. 14:15

Wally sighs, turning around slowly and lay on his other side. He hisses lowly, side still hurting a bit from the beating his father had given him, bruises still in the process of fading from his body, pain still lingering in his mind.

Should he be relieved his dad beat him on Friday? Should he be relieved that he had an easy way to hide all his injuries?

He hadn't seen anyone in these last two days. After his dad left, he had dragged himself to his bedroom, eaten as much as he could stomach at the moment before passing out from exhaustion, physical and emotional, and the pain. He slept through most of the morning on Saturday and when he woke up, nobody was home.

He didn't know where mom was, or his dad, but knowing them, they were probably not sober or clean.

He sighs, picking up his phone and opening the screen to see more calls had been added to his ever growing collection. Roy, Dick, Aqualad even, M'gann. Even Iris had called him, but not out of worry, but because she wanted to hear the story from his perspective, but he wasn't about to correct the story that was currently going around.

Artemis had texted him as well, Green Arrow had raged about him to a few of the league, and the rumour would undoubtedly be spreading.

But apart from the texts and the phone calls he had been getting, nobody made the move to visit him, nobody was concerned enough to actually see Wally. They didn't care.

Wally growled, turning around again and closing his eyes at the pain that was consuming his side, welcoming it as a distraction. They don't have to, I cheated, they don't have to be concerned.

And in some twisted way, he was glad nobody visited him. His dad hadn't held back the day before yesterday, hadn't been careful with his punches, or kicks. And it was still showing, which would've made covering it up very hard if anyone were to actually visit him. It wasn't like he had the energy to hide it.

So he had been lying around for two days, trying to busy himself with homework but he couldn't concentrate, couldn't comprehend what had just happened. Unbeknownst, Artemis had just discovered the secret he had always sworn himself to protect, she just didn't know the real secret.

He absolutely couldn't blame her for thinking he was cheating, not after his inability to deny it.

Wally sighed, scrolling through the countless voicemessages left by primarily Roy and Dick, reluctantly clicking on one.

"Dude, answer your phone, we need to talk" Dick's voice suddenly came from his phone and Wally's heart jumped significantly. He didn't sound particularly concerned, just curious or even a bit anxious.

Wally sighs, laying the phone on his stomach again and closing his eyes. He just wanted to go to sleep again and never wake up.

June 6th, 2011. 13:49

Stay still and stay quiet, that is how he got through the day most of the time. Stay still so people won't notice you, stay quiet so people won't notice you. At home and at school. Day in and day out.

"Alright class, I have your results" The teacher announced but Wally didn't react, staring out of the window from the back of the class. The teacher silently handed out the papers while the class chatted away. Wally didn't have many friends in high school, he was two classes ahead of people his age.

A senior instead of a sophomore.

And seniors didn't really like a 16 year old hanging out with them, or being smarter than all of them combined still, despite skipping two years. He couldn't help that he was smarter than most people his age.

"Wallace, can we talk after class?" The teacher asks as she stops, placing his test on the table. Written with big red pen was a 'F'. Wally winces slightly but nods at her, quickly putting the test away. It was the test he made on Friday, after his dad.. but before Artemis figured it out.

The class quieted down slightly, a few people turning around to look at him with a skeptical look but Wally ignored them, the view more interesting and less painful to look at than his classmates staring at him, trying to determine the mark he had scored on the test, determine whether they had to stay after class.

It was another ten minutes before the bell rang, signalling the last class of school. But Wally wasn't in a hurry to leave the class like the rest of his classmates. He watched them leave from the corner of his eyes, slowly packing his own bag and walking to the front of the classroom as everyone had left the class.

"Wally" The teacher said, closing the door behind the rest of the students. "I know English literature isn't your favourite subject but this isn't like you"

"I know" Wally said softly, rubbing his face. "I just had an off-day, it won't happen again" He tries to assure and his teacher looks at him with a look on her face.

"Make sure it doesn't, you're a bright kid Wally. It would be a shame to throw that all away in your last year." The teacher said. "And I know you can do it, so if you need any help, don't be afraid to ask for it. My door is always open."

"Thanks Miss" Wally says, walking out of the classroom. He tried to walk to his locker as quick as possible but of course the attempt was futile as some jocks were waiting for him in front of his locker. He sighs, feeling his heart hammer but he just walked ahead, allowing the jocks to rip off his backpack.

"You didn't get an 'A' I hope?" One spoke as another ripped open his backpack to search for his test.

"No I didn't" Wally spoke and the jock held the paper up, as proof that Wally really didn't receive the A the other warned him not to get.

"Good for you, spares you a dunk in the toilet" The jock said. "The homework for tomorrow?"

Wally freezes slightly, he didn't even remember to make it. "I.. I didn't make it"

"Jackpot guys" The jock grinned, looming over Wally and pushing him against his locker. "You know what happens when you don't Wallace. Do you want us to fail senior year?"

"No" Gladly.

"You better have it tomorrow morning" And for a second, Wally thought he could get away with not making the homework, that he could just make it tonight and give it. But of course he was wrong, and the universe was against him as the jock grabbed his neck, pushing him roughly towards the bathroom.

June 6th, 2011. 15:30

"Where is everyone?" Wally asks, more to himself than anyone else as no one was in the room. He looked around, seeing no one in the cave yet. He wasn't too late right? No he was right on time, Dinah said three thirty the last time he saw her.

"Training was moved by an hour" Dick's voice suddenly said and Wally whirled around, staring at his best friend staring at him from a distance. He was already in his Robin outfit, but his mask was still off. "Canary told us Saturday"

Wally grimaces, hearing the silent addition to the sentence. If you had been there or if you had picked up your phone you would've known.

"Good to know" Wally mumbles, trying to walk past Dick to get to the kitchen but Dick stepped aside, in front of him.

"We need to talk" Dick said, glaring at him.

"There's nothing to talk about" Wally mumbled, pushing past Dick to walk to the kitchen to get something to eat before he would take a quick shower to get rid of the memory of being shoved into the toilet just a little over an hour ago.

"Tell me she is lying, that she was wrong" Dick shouted after him, sprinting over to him and grabbing his arm. Wally immediately jerked his arm back, or tried to because Dick didn't let go.

"She's not!" Wally bit back, jerking his arm back again and successfully ripping Dick's hand away from his arm.

"So it's true?"

"I'm pretty sure that's what I implied just now" Wally growled, wanting to just run away again but he knew that if he did, he would have this conversation again in another hour, and that it wouldn't do any good. Better to just confront Dick now and get it over with.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Even if I had been cheating, why would you ever think I'd tell you about it? "The silent treatment, that's low Wally, even for you" Dick snaps, following the speedster into the kitchen.

"Say what you want to say Dick and be done with it" Wally bit back, trying to keep his tears at bay but it was harder than he initially thought. He was going to lose his best friend, his little brother and one of the handful of people who still cared for him. And one of the few who he felt truly safe with.

School, home, he didn't feel safe.

"I defended you you know?" Dick continues, glaring at Wally's back. "When Artemis asked about you not moving forwards I tried to reason you were being a gentlemen, that you wanted the best for Artemis but the whole time you were cheating!" It wasn't even a question, and Dick was clearly pissed off at the moment.

At him.

"You never had to defend me Dick, I never asked you to do so" Wally retorts, slamming the door to the fridge close.

"Do you even realise what you've done Wally? You cheated on Artemis, with a guy" Dick repeated, lower this time. "You didn't even tell us you were gay, not even me." Dick continued but the tone was even softer, as if Dick was giving him an opportunity to correct the sentence.

To assure Dick that he wasn't gay, and that he wasn't cheating on Artemis, but he couldn't. He couldn't bring himself to deny it.

"I am aware alright? I'm not stupid" Wally growled, whirling around to face his best friend. "And you have a problem with me being gay?" He bit back, hiding the hurt he was feeling right now by using his anger to cover it up. Dick recoiled almost at the question, shaking his head.

"Of course not dude!" Dick cried, his voice rising again. "I have no problem with you being gay, I do have a problem with you cheating on Artemis, she's our teammate and you can't just hurt her like that"

"What about all the comments she made about me last year?" Wally retorts and Dick narrows his eyes.

"So this is all revenge? Is that it?" Dick asks but Wally shakes his head.

"You know I won't ever do that" Wally glares.

"I don't know anything anymore Wally!" Dick groans. "You cheated on Artemis, you had the guts to betray her by sleeping with another guy so tell me you have the guts to answer me this, how long?"

Wally falls silent at the question Dick just asked him. How long? How long has he been sleeping with the guy the team suspected him to have slept with. How long has he slept with his dad? How long has he been raping him and how long had he allowed himself to unwillingly cheat on Artemis?

Dick scoffs at his silence. "You used her as a cover up didn't you? People at school were talking, you knew Artemis was in love with you" He wanted to protest, he really did, but he couldn't seem to find his voice. "You've probably been doing it for months, which is the reason you refused Artemis the whole time" There was a venomous bite in Dick's voice.

And he knew why he was receiving it just now, why he was finally hearing that voice directed at him after having heard it several times in the past. Because Dick only used it when someone seriously hurt his family, when he visited Zucco in the hospital, when someone hurt Wally, the guy who almost killed Batman.

And the guy who hurt his teammate in one of the worst and shadiest ways possible.

And still Wally doesn't object, doesn't try to deny the claims of him cheating on Artemis for months, doesn't deny the fact that he was gay, because it wasn't false. All the statements, apart from the time period and his sexuality, were true. Dick figured it out in a way, even if he was still essentially wrong.

But he had been cheating on Artemis.

He had been sleeping with another male during his relationship with Artemis.

But he wasn't gay.

And it hadn't been months, it had been 6 years now

June 6th, 2011. 11:54

His phone was already blowing up when he left the cave and didn't return for training that day. Angry and concerned calls from his uncle, angry calls from both Batman and Canary. Enraged calls from Roy even. But he couldn't get himself to care, or regret his decision in the first place.

He couldn't stand to face them, not after what Dick had said to him.

Because it all went from hell to worse after he didn't deny having cheated on Artemis.

"Tell me it isn't true" Dick tried again but Wally didn't, didn't open his mouth but just stared down at his best friend, and somehow he hoped he would notice the need for his father to be outed to the world. The need to spill every secret he had been keeping, and every secret he was keeping by admitting he cheated.

Dick scoffs again, tears burning in his eyes as well but he scratches his throat.

"I'm sorry but clearly I've judged you wrong" He spoke and Wally's eyes widened slightly. "If this is who you truly are, if you can cheat on someone so close to you… I.. I'm not sure if we can be friends again."

He couldn't mean it, and yet, after replaying it in his head so many times, he knew that Dick had been hinting at what he was so afraid of. Dick had just broken their friendship. And to be honest, he couldn't blame him, the story they had… Dick had every right to do so. But that didn't make it hurt any less.

If Dick couldn't stay friends with him.. who could?

Roy, Barry, even Iris wouldn't. Dick was family, the one he trusted the most. And he had just lost everyone he ever cared about. Everyone who ever cared about him. All because of his lies.

He hung his head, sitting down on the table in the far right corner of the cafeteria, partially shielded by the wall and plants but still slightly visible, and he could see people staring at him, even more than usual. He frowned, picking at his food and glancing up again, seeing a few girls give him a disgusted look and bursting out in laughing.

"Sucks. Doesn't it?" Someone suddenly says and Wally's head snaps up, watching a girl stand next to him.

"What sucks?" He asks and the girl snorts.

"Not the best choice of words" She mumbles and sighs. "You haven't heard, have you?" Wally shakes his head with a frown, and he definitely wasn't liking the tone the girl used.

"You've fallen victim to the rumour machine"

"Rumour machine?" Wally frowns, feeling a sense of dread fill him. He really didn't like what the girl was hinting at.

"Happened to me two years ago on another school, it sucks" Still he wasn't any less confused and the girl caught on. "My God you really haven't heard" She exclaims.

"I just told you I didn't" He says with a frown that was leaning towards a glare.

"I thought you didn't know what I was talking about" She winced sympathetically. "Scott has been spreading rumours about you, and I would've believed them if I hadn't been in the same situation-"

"What rumours?" He intercepts, looking at two guys looking at him with a disgusted look, glancing at the girl as well. Probably wondering why a girl would even be daring to go near the kid that was already considered a weirdo.

"They say you've slept with .. well multiple guys at the same time" She spoke, wincing in pity. "I'm sorry but I escaped the rumours from my old school. I can't be seen speaking with you for long, or I become a victim again, I'm really sorry" She spoke, hurrying off to go back to her friends.

But Wally didn't have the energy to tell her she shouldn't be sorry.

His father and mother hated him, his father hurt him almost daily. He lost his best friend, his extended family, he lost the faith of the Justice League. And now he wasn't just bullied by a few jocks, and ignored by the rest, now they spread rumours about him and nobody wanted to be near him anymore.

He was alone.


	4. Chapter 4

June 8th, 2011. 16:00

"You're planning on sticking around this time?" Artemis asks with a sneer on her face, arms folded over each other in front of her, simultaneously glaring at the speedster.

"I am" Wally retorted, trying to ignore the ache in his chest at the venomous look Artemis was giving him. Artemis and Wally glared at each other for a few seconds before the former scoffs, turning away from the speedster.

"Unfortunately" She mutters, drawing her bow as Black Canary walks into the room. Just like everyone on the team she glanced at Wally, lingering for a few seconds before scratching her throat, focused on the whole team instead. Everyone was currently in the room, everyone suited up and ready to start training.

"Okay guys, we're doing some sparring today, one on one" She announces, looking at all members. There was a space between Wally and the other 5 members of the team, and he seemed terribly out of place in the room. Black Canary could basically feel the resentment towards the speedster.

Kaldur and Dick were the least. They were mad of course, Artemis was like family to them as well, but they and Wally went way back, they grew up together so both were sad about recent revelations, Dick even more so. Artemis and Superboy however, they were both livid. Superboy more because.. well he was always angry.

But he saw Artemis as his little sister, something he would never admit out loud, or to himself, that he needed to protect. And if it was from a brother in his messed up family, so be it. M'gann wasn't sure what to think or how to act. She was angry, confused and emotionally hurt but at the same time, she couldn't be angry at Wally.

In her heart she couldn't, her rational mind, however rational that was in the first place, knew that Wally had done something horrible.

"Superboy and Robin, I want you to spar" She announced, turning towards Artemis and Kaldur. "Artemis, I want you with-"

"I want to go with Wally" She spoke, causing Black Canary to shut her mouth for a second, a frown appearing on her face before she slowly nodded, interested to see this play out. And she knew that Artemis would find an opportunity to kick his ass, or try to at least, for cheating on her.

Better she did it where she could supervise them and make sure Wally wasn't too injured.

If they fought while she was here she could stop them and make sure they didn't go too far, if they were to do it while she was away, and they were alone, she had no way of knowing Wally would come out uninjured. Because as much as she was angry at Wally, she knew that he felt terrible.

And that Wally wouldn't defend himself, which scared Dinah.

Wally merely glanced up for a second, wincing before turning his attention to Dick and Superboy stepping into the ring. He knew Canary had planned to team him against M'gann, the one who wouldn't hurt him on purpose because of the whole fiasco after Dick and Kaldur. But both were needed to calm both Artemis and Superboy down.

The fight lasted longer than when they just started out, despite Superboy's strength, Robin beat him every time. This time was no exception but Superboy lasted far longer than he did almost a year ago. He was getting better at controlling his strength and not rely on it.

Still, Superboy fell to the ground, the computer announcing that he failed.

Robin looked smug, grinning before extending his arm and helping Superboy up. The clone growled low in his throat but accepted the arm, standing up before nodding to his teammate with a determined expression, moving back towards M'Gann while Dick took his place next to Kaldur.

"Artemis and Kid Flash" Canary says, narrowing her eyes and watching the teens step into the ring. "No explosive arrows" She says with authority in her voice and Artemis glares at Wally but nods.

"Begin!" Dinah announced. Artemis immediately shot forwards, attacking him with her fists so tight that the skin was turning white. She continuously hit him, Wally only raising his arms to defend himself. He grunted, feeling a fist connect with his side, where his dad had struck him just this morning.

He bit his tongue, feeling blood fill his mouth as pain flared up.

"Fight back" She hisses, grabbing her bow and hitting him across the head, Wally tumbling to the ground but quickly rolling away, speeding around her. Artemis readied an arrow, trying to hit Wally. She missed a few arrows until she pulled out an explosive one, barely missing Wally but knocking him to the side and out of the ring.

She heard a shout of protest coming from Dinah but she ignored it.

She immediately shot another arrow, the arrow piercing his suit to the ground and he looks up, raising his arms just fast enough to block another blow from her.

"ARTEMIS" Canary screamed again but Artemis struck again, grabbing his uniform and pulling him towards her. Like his father did last week. His eyes widened, suddenly not looking up at Artemis, instead he saw his father, ready to h-

"That is enough" Kaldur hisses as he grabs onto Artemis arm, ready to strike again. Artemis growls low in her throat, releasing Wally and causing the latter to hit the ground, back lightening up with fire from the lashes he received yesterday. The belt striking across skin and ripping it apart.

Artemis shoots him a dirty look, walking back towards the other teammates, Dick was looking at him with a pitied look on his face but Wally just averts his gaze, ripping the arrow free from his uniform and raising to his feet, throwing the arrow away with a defeated look on his face and rubbing his chest.

Dinah sighs, looking at Artemis, who was standing still with Kaldur placing a hand on her shoulder. She walked over to Wally, silently asking him if he was okay, but he nodded. She sighs again, leaning forwards.

"Go wash up" Canary whispers so the rest of the team, minus Superboy, couldn't hear it, but the reassuring smile she always gave them, or the pat on the shoulder was missing. She knew, she knew about the story going around. She turned away from Kid Flash. "M'gann and Kaldur, you're up"

She hated him.

June 8th, 2011. 17:12

"I mean I don't particularly like Artemis" Roy starts in a low voice, leaning against the door. "But what the hell Wally?!" He continued, looking at the speedster in the hope of getting an answer, an explanation for .. whatever the hell Wally had been doing. The first thing Roy noticed was Wally's form.

Even before he had announced his presence Wally was tense, and he seemed to be thinner than normal. Was he eating enough?

Wally closes his eyes for a moment at the shout, back turned to Roy so his big brother couldn't see him, but he didn't say anything, looking at the room with a sad expression on his face, chest aching from both the pain and the sight in front of him.

There used to be pictures on the wall, pictures of him and Artemis, pictures of him and the team. But everything was gone, everything. Not just the pictures of him and Artemis, not just the pictures with Artemis in it. She took down everything when he was at home with his parents, everything was gone.

To show that he had really lost them.

He found some of the pictures, ripped on his bed. But most of them had been taken by Artemis. Taken out of the room just like her clothes, her stuff, everything that belonged to her, everything that would still give him hope that she would come back, that he could fix this mess.

She hadn't been subtle about ravaging his room either. His door was open for everyone to see his room, Artemis hadn't even bothered to close it again. The lights were off at least but his room was a mess, his own clothes covering the floor and drawers open. The code to his room was reset so it didn't even lock anymore before Wally would make a new one.

And he really couldn't blame her though, he really couldn't.

He winces slightly as Roy closes the door behind him, giving him a sense of security now he knew nobody could listen in on their conversation.

"Dick said you would pull the silent treatment crap but ya don't get to pull that on me Wally" Roy growled, walking over to the middle of the room where Wally was sitting cross-legged, walking in front of him and looking down at his younger brother. Wally glanced up, tears in his eyes.

"What do you want me to say Roy? I messed up okay" Wally almost snarls. "No need to remind me" Artemis and the team are already enough.

"But you're wrong Wally, I do need to remind you. You can't just ignore this" Roy glares, his voice rising. As if I could ignore this. "Why did you do it Wally? I want an answer, not for Artemis, but for me"

To see if we can still be friends, to see if I can still trust you with my life. Too see if we can still hang out and patrol together, if I can still trust you with watching my back.

If we can still be brothers.

Wally just lowers his head.

"I've had this conversation with Dick already, and that ended with our friendship ending" Wally muttered, looking up again. "So say whatever the hell you want to say and leave okay?" He sneers, but the venom in his voice is lacking, replaced by a hurtful and pitiful sound almost.

"Like hell I'm leaving Wally" Roy spat out, worry seeping through his voice. "You wouldn't do this, I know you better than this. You would never cheat on Artemis" He said, stabbing Wally through the heart another time. Roy still tried, he was still trying.

Because he cares about you, he will take your word over Artemis', tell him.

I can't.. they can't know..

Why?!

…..

He didn't know, he just knew that he had to keep his mouth shut.

Because you know they don't care about you, you know the moment you tell they won't believe you.

They will.

And even if they did, they would never take you in.

"What made you so sure, everyone I flirted with in the past years?" Wally retorts, trying to just bully Roy away right now. But he knew that Roy was tougher than Dick right now, on this subject. He knew he couldn't just chase Roy away by being angry at him, that was the exact technique Roy always used.

And he never fell for it either.

"For fuck sake Wally, you.. that wasn't serious, and you stopped after you kissed her" Roy cursed, groaning and rubbing his face. Wally just looks away. "Was that all an act Wally? Did you stop flirting to .. to convince us of your love?" Roy continues, cursing under his breath as Wally stays silent.

"Fuck Wally, what the hell?!" Roy cries out. "Why would you use anyone like that"

"You don't even like her" Wally mutters angrily.

"And neither do you apparently" Roy snarls. "I didn't, and I still won't take a bullet for her like I would for you, but sometimes we gotta deal with shit" Roy continued and Wally glances up for a second, rubbing away his tears and standing up.

"You done?" He asks, biting back the sob that was rising.

"No I'm not done!" Roy rages. "You fucking cheated on her Wally, why?"

No answer.

"And why didn't you tell me you weren't straight? Did you really have to think we wouldn't accept that you were gay? Did we really seem so shallow?"

"I never said I was gay" Wally retorts, whirling around and glaring at Roy, who in turn narrows his eyes.

"Well tell me Artemis was wrong. Because I would take your word over hers no matter what because I know you won't lie" I won't, just lies of omission. "You dated Artemis because what? You thought we suspected you swung the other way?"

Tell him

No

He won't believe you

He will

Don't tell

He doesn't care

You deserve this

Worthless

They will believe me.

Then tell them

Coward.

Wally grit his teeth, pulling his hair and turning around.

"Just go Roy, just go" Wally snarls and suddenly Roy is silent, they both are silent. Wally feels his wounds pull, sending pain through his body, he welcomes it like an old friend, the only friend he still had right now. He can hear Roy shuffle slightly before slowly walking around him.

Roy sinks to his knees to match his height. When had he fallen to his knees? Is that why his knees hurt?

Carefully Roy reaches for his face, brushing his thumb along his cheek and Wally blinks. He was crying, tears streaming down his face. When did he start crying? How had he not noticed. His head was pounding.

"Wally please" Roy pleaded. "I know this isn't like you little bro, I know you would never do this. If you had the guts to cheat.. which you would never.. you wouldn't be affected like this. Fuck Wally, you're thin, you're tired.." Roy stops himself, staring at the ribs that were clearly visible on Wally's body, and the bags under Wally's eyes.

"You can trust me Wally, please tell me what is going on, I know something is going on" Roy continues but Wally just moves his head away. "I won't tell anyone if that's what you want but please tell me, anyone"

I could just tell him.

"You know what happened" Wally says, glaring. "Everything Artemis said was true, so quit trying to get me to tell the 'truth'"

"This isn't you Wally, yer not like this" Roy tries but Wally shakes his head, rising to his feet again and sitting on his bed.

"Well maybe it is, and you just didn't know me at all" Wally's gaze darkens. He couldn't say it, but he had to get him to leave. "Maybe you were so caught up in your own little world, your mom and dad leaving you, growing up surrounded by piss and crap. Maybe you were so relieved to be Ollie's charity case that you were blind to the people around you"

Roy glares, taking a step backwards. "That is a line you do not cross" He hisses, staring at his former little brother with tears in his eyes. "That's just low, even for you" He mumbles, staring for another moment before leaving the room as well.

Wally was glad he left, but why did it hurt so much that he did?


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, I just realised that I never explained the title. Not like anyone cares xD The title 'Requiem' is a song from Eurovision, France 2017. I thought the song really fitted with this story, there is a live performance with English translations somehwere on YT, if anyone is still interested xD

June 11th, 2011. 22:12

He could feel his stomach eating away at him for two obvious reasons, obvious to him, but oblivious to the rest of the team. He hadn't been eating, something Roy had noticed a few days ago, and also the last day he had talked to him, or had a civil conversation with anyone on the team.

He was hungry, and he was pretty sure that everyone could see the faint outline of his ribs through his costume. And he was also pretty sure that no one cared about his hunger, or his metabolism backstabbing him like that.

But hunger wasn't the only thing eating him away, the constant anxiety did as well. He hasn't spoken with anyone on the team, and Artemis and Superboy kept glaring at him every chance they had. And Kaldur and Dick didn't speak to him. So no, he wasn't particularly looking forward to this mission.

"So what exactly are we looking for?" Superboy suddenly spoke up, interrupting the seemingly never-ending silence. Kaldur turns around in his seat, facing the entire team. M'gann was sitting in the middle again, controlling the bioship and Robin and Artemis were both on the left side of M'gann.

Kaldur and Superboy were sitting in front and Wally was on the right of M'gann,

"One of Batman's informants gave him a tip about a drug deal playing out tonight. They were said to carry valuable merchandise and Batman wants us to find out what it is"

"And stop the bad guys" Superboy intercepts and Kaldur nods.

"We must not underestimate them however, they have eluded the Justice League long apparently. I will need Artemis on overwatch" Kaldur says, eyeing at the archer. "While the rest of us searches for the case"

The whole team nods, already having heard this from Batman for the most part. They were all tense as they flew towards their location. Not tense because of the mission that was coming up, by now they had all been doing this long enough not to be too scared about a mission like that.

But they were tense because of the whole situation, mostly Wally and Dick were the ones bickering in the bio-ship, and right now the fight between Wally and Artemis was affecting everyone. And it didn't help that the whole team had sided with Artemis on the matter.

Dick glanced to the side, looking at his former best friend. Wally was looking to the side as well, out of the 'windows' of the bioship. Slowly Dick observed the speedster on the team, trying to catch his eyes without Wally noticing and looking at his form. He was getting thinner every passing day and Dick was worried.

He knew how dangerous it was for a speedster to be thin, or not to eat for a while.

Their friendship may not be on the best terms, but that didn't mean he wasn't worried. Even Roy was worried.

"We're here" M'gann eventually announces, standing up herself and creating a hole in the middle of the bioship. "I can't land her on this side" She says but the team already understood. They would jump down and M'gann would fly the bioship to the other side and join the team, as she was the only one able to fly.

And the only one who could quickly get across the mountain.

Wally didn't say anything as he clipped the rope to his belt, changing his uniform from yellow to black, Kaldur and M'gann doing the same thing.

"Link us up" Kaldur ordered and within seconds all six were mentally linked together. "Everyone ready?" He asks, returning 5 nods of approval. He nodded as well, jumping down to the ground using the line, quickly followed by Robin, Artemis, Kid Flash and Superboy, who was luckily using one this time.

Robin smirked knowingly, snapping off the line for Miss Martian to retract back into the ship. Not soon after the bioship left, leaving the five members alone.

"Move out" Kaldur ordered mentally, walking ahead of the team towards the east of the island, where the base of operations were. Wally kept silent, even on the mental link, as he ran towards the compound, way ahead of everyone else. He almost winced at the silence, not used to it.

It was the first mission after the whole fiasco, it felt weird.

Wally ran around the building, both him and Superboy supposed to enter from the other side, Kaldur and Robin from the front and Artemis would be on the rooftop. He reached the back of the building quickly, skidding to a halt in the bushes before he actually reached the door, he looked around, before running towards the door.

He quickly got out some tools, opening the lock and smiling slightly at the click of the door meaning it was open.

"I'm in" He mentally communicated, earning a mental nod from Kaldur but received nothing but silence from the rest of team. Which would've happened probably any other day, but right now the silence felt like another punch in his stomach.

He sighed, slipping on the goggles before taking off, zipping through the mostly empty corridors. He encountered a couple of thugs but quickly took care of them, knocking them out with a swift punch and tying them up so they couldn't alert the rest of their bodies and give away the team.

"West side is clear" Kaldur calls out mentally.

"I am on the second floor, but no sign of the case either" M'gann adds in.

"Meet me in the hallway" Kaldur says, running back. Suddenly the building shook for a second, quickly followed by a cry of rage from Superboy and alarms starting to scream through the building.

"I'm pretty sure Superboy tipped them off we're here" Robin cried out mentally.

"Definitely, they are running towards the east side" Artemis said. The east side, where Wally currently was.

"I think I know why" Wally called out, ducking and dodging a punch. "The case is here"

"Artemis go help Kid, we will be there as soon as possible" Kaldur ordered, and Artemis knew better than to protest, running to Kid's location as fast as she could. She took out an explosive arrow, firing it at the window on the rooftop, causing it to break. She jumped through the window, landing on her feet and running again.

"They have reinforcement" Wally cried out, one of the goons landing a solid punch against his side. Wally cried out, doubling over and swinging out his leg, rolling backwards to create some distance and to catch his breath for a second.

"More are coming your way, hold on" Robin called out, feeling slight panic fill him at the thought. They knew the goons weren't alone. The big numbers they had were their advantage against the league and the team. And they were just skilled enough to give Wally a run for his money

Wally narrowed his eyes again, pushing back the now throbbing pain in his side and launching forwards again. He struck down two, dodging another kick coming from another before an arrow flew just past his head. He winced, whirling his head around to find the archer but instead saw Artemis, firing another arrow.

The arrow stuck another goon, just as the first had injured the one that was attacking him.

He allowed himself a small smile before turning back to the goons, striking out again.

"More goons just came in" Artemis alerted the team.

"We are on our way, hold on" Kaldur spoke, worry evident in his voice but Artemis couldn't do anything with that worry. She grabbed another arrow, dodging an arrow coming her way and shooting, hitting the enemy archer in the shoulder, in the right spot to cripple his arm for life.

She didn't care.

Wally groaned, one of the goons getting the better of him by sweeping his legs from under him. He rolled to his side, getting up again before striking out. His fist hit the side of the goon's head but before he knew it, a fist hit his head, making him stumble. He looked up, green eyes widening.

There were too many.

He was panting, his limbs protesting, his stomach eating itself, he was hungry, starved and his body wanted, needed food.

"Artemis!" He cried out in his head, ducking but a goon caught his arm. He started vibrating and immediately he felt his nose explode with blood, the liquid running down into his mouth. The goon cried out in pain of the vibrations, releasing his hand. He weakly punched the goon, trying to create some distance between him and the enemies.

Where was Artemis?

But the arrows never came, he knew Artemis had heard him. But she was firing arrows at the ones in the room, the ones that weren't close to Wally. And instantly the ginger's stomach dropped.

She wasn't helping him.

He cried out as he felt a goon jump on him from the back, and he fell forwards, smacking against the ground with a sickening thud. Immediately he felt multiple hands on his arms, pulling it on his back, and a knee forcing him down, the knee placed on his lower back, legs trapped under his own body.

He tried to buck, throw them off him but he couldn't, there were too many. He closed his eyes, trying to vibrate his arms again but he gasped, dry heaving and his stomach protesting. Blood was now dripping on the floor beneath him and his face scrunched up with disgust.

"Don't struggle" One of the goons hissed in his ear, pulling his arm higher. Pain flared up around his shoulder joint and he cried out in pain, struggling again but the goon wouldn't let go and he slumped to the ground again.

And then another cry of pain resonated through the room. His eyes snapped up, his neck straining but what he sees horrifies him. Blood splatters all around Artemis' green outfit, an arrow sticking out of her upper arm. Immediately a few goons sprint towards the platform Artemis had been standing on.

They couldn't at first, threatened by Artemis being a sniper, but in the second of hesitation, they all sprinted towards her, pinning her down as well.

As if planned, seconds later Superboy burst through the wall, crying out in rage and jumping again, landing in the middle of a group of goons and punching them, pulling his punches so he wouldn't kill them. Within seconds Kaldur, Robin and M'gann had joined the room.

Within minutes he felt a goon release him, grunting in pain before the other goons disappeared as well.

"KF?" Robin whispers, out loud so the rest couldn't hear. Wally blinked, feeling Dick help him stand up and he winced, Robin glancing up and down, before narrowing his eyes. "Stay here" He ordered, doing a backflip and knocking out two goon with a splitkick. Wally glared, reaching for one of the goons.

He grabbed the arm, flipping the goon over his back and slamming him to the ground before running to the next.

Within ten minutes all the goons were on the ground, Kaldur appearing with the case in his hand and M'gann flying down to the rest of the team with Artemis in her arms. Robin immediately ran towards Artemis, sliding to his knees as M'gann place Artemis on the ground.

"How bad?" Robin asks.

"Fuck" Artemis just responded and Robin chuckled slightly, searching his belt and pulling out a small syringe with a sedative, carefully inserting it in her elbow and carefully pulling back a bit of her uniform around her shoulder to reveal the wound better, the arrow still sticking out.

Artemis slumped slightly as the sedative started to work, looking around the room until her eyes focused on Wally. The latter sighed inwards, turning around before Artemis had a chance to even glare at him or something and running out of the compound, back to the bioship, not caring for the distance.

June 11th, 2011. 23:53

"We treated Artemis in the bio-ship, and we got the case" Kaldur finishes his report, glancing to the left to look at his teammates before turning back to Batman, a stern look on his face.

"Good work team, the league will handle the case from here on" Batman said after a short silence, looking at Kid Flash without anyone, but perhaps Robin, noticing. "You are all dismissed.. except Kid Flash" He continued, startling the younger speedster.

Superboy, M'gann and Kaldur left immediately. Artemis wasn't even here, resting in her own quarters as the wound on her shoulder wasn't that severe and she didn't need to be monitored but Dick stayed rooted to the ground for a moment, unsure what to do, unsure whether to leave his best-... leave Wally behind.

But eventually he sighs, turning around and reluctantly leaving the room.

Once the door was closed Batman turned to Wally, pulling back his cowl. Wally blinked a few times, surprised by the action but wincing as he saw the disappointed look in Bruce's eyes.

"You were distracted today" He stated and Wally winced again, taking an involuntary step backwards. "Was it because of your team-up with Artemis?" He asked but Wally understood that it wasn't a question, not really, it was an accusation. Wally looked down in shame, rubbing his hands under his gloves.

"Wallace" Bruce addressed him and Wally reluctantly looks up, seeing that Bruce had moved a few meters towards him. "You being distracted on a mission makes you vulnerable, makes the team vulnerable. If you're not at your best you can't protect your team, or yourself"

No.

Wally's eyes widen slightly and he feels his stomach turn, suddenly he's nauseous and he swallows heavily.

"You're off the team" Bruce continued.

No! He can't… the team.. it was the last thing- it was the only thing that he had. The only place where he was happy, the only place he could escape to. It was everything to him, without it…

What was he supposed to do without it? He couldn't go home, he had no friends at school, he was bullied, ignored at school. Dick and Roy weren't friends with him anymore, Barry was disappointed in him, he couldn't go the manor, to Roy's place, to his Aunt's house. He couldn't go anywhere.

"For how long?" Wally squeaked out, throat tightening and tears burning in his eyes.

"Until you are no longer a danger to the team" Bruce said.

A danger.

A danger.

He was putting the team in danger, Dick, M'gann, Kaldur, Superboy… Artemis. A danger..

But he couldn't help it, he couldn't help Artemis being mad at him.. he couldn't tell her the truth, or anyone.

Why couldn't he?

They would think you're-

"Wallace, you better go home, Kid Flash is benched until I say otherwise" Bruce interrupted his thoughts, walking up to him and placing a hand on his shoulder. Wally winced, looking up. "There's something wrong with you Wally, I'm only doi-" Wally didn't listen anymore, shutting out Bruce's voice.

A danger.

There was something wrong with him.

Useless.

And alone.


	6. Chapter 6

June 15th, 2011. 22:12

He didn't see anyone, didn't do anything, didn't talk for 4 days. He skipped school, knowing that the teachers didn't care enough to question his sudden absence. He never skipped school, never even despite the obvious bullying the school choose to ignore, so they had no reason to be confused by his sudden sickness.

Sadly he couldn't say his marks were high enough not to worry, because they had been slipping more and more.

Even his dad had left him alone for the past week, probably because he hadn't had a reason to. He didn't do anything wrong, he didn't disturb his dad, he didn't do anything. He just laid in bed, trying to sleep most of the day and make the days go faster. He didn't see his dad at all.

He ate a little bit when his dad was out, and his mom as well. But he could barely keep anything down.

If he wasn't sleeping in bed, he'd be above the toilet, puking the little thing that was still in his stomach. Muscles were gradually fading, disappearing, just like the last bit of fat that was still on his body. His ribs were even more visible than before, easily able to count them, and it even started to scare him.

But at the same time, he didn't care.

Nobody cared about him, so why would he care? Batman thought he was a danger, that he was going to hurt his teammates, that he couldn't be trusted. He benched Kid Flash, possibly forever, taking away the last thing Wally still enjoyed in life. Artemis didn't help him, didn't protect him despite him being in danger.

And nobody had come to see him in these last 7 days.

June 11th, 2011. 00:12 Last week after the mission.

Flashback

Once the door was closed Batman turned to Wally, pulling back his cowl. Wally blinked a few times, surprised by the action but wincing as he saw the disappointed look in Bruce's eyes.

"You were distracted today" He stated and he could see Wally wince, taking a step backwards, why? "Was it because of your team-up with Artemis?" He asked, trying to keep the worry out of his voice. But he was, he was worried. Mad over him cheating on Artemis, but worried. He was thin, looked pale.

"Wallace" Bruce says again, taking a few steps forwards before Wally looks up. "You being distracted on a mission makes you vulnerable, makes the team vulnerable. If you're not at your best you can't protect your team, or yourself"

Bruce winces internally, not liking the sound of his own words, but they needed to be said. Wally was unhealthy right now. He obviously wasn't eating enough, even through the black uniform he was still wearing he could see ribs poking through. It wasn't life-threatening yet but he also knew that it could become very fast.

Within days.

And right now, Wally was in no shape to fight, in no shape to properly defend the team, especially Dick.

"You're off the team" Bruce continued, feeling a pang of guilt at the panicked look on Wally's face.

He knew the team meant much to Wally, he knew Kid Flash was almost his entire life. But right now, Wally needed to figure out what was bothering him, and resolve it. If Bruce allowed this to continue… he would literally run himself into death. And he couldn't lose Wally.

Not just because he was Dick's best friend, his brother, but because Bruce cared about Wally greatly. And it would destroy him if Wally died, especially on his watch.

He needed to go home and relax, be with his parents so they could help him, comfort him. That way he didn't have to be confronted with Dick, and his teammates every day, which was obviously troubling him. He knew his son was mad at Wally, for good reason, and it was affecting Wally.

But Bruce also suspected something more going on.

"For how long?" Wally squeaked out, and Bruce could see tears in his eyes.

"Until you are no longer a danger to the team" Bruce said, trying to be as clear as possible, to point out that there was no arguing here. Bruce sighs, for a second considering to not kick him off the team.

"Wallace, you better go home, Kid Flash is benched until I say otherwise" Bruce said in a soft voice, walking up to him and placing a hand on his shoulder. Wally looked up. "There's something wrong with you Wally, I'm only doing this because you're clearly ill, you're thin, and pale" Bruce said, looking at the pale face with concern.

"This has nothing to do with whatever happened between you and Artemis. I am not happy about it but I will not be putting the team in danger by taking you off because of this fiasco. However, you are not yourself at the moment, your mind is somewhere else and your body is suffering because of it. Take a few days, weeks, off, get better and come back stronger"

Wally didn't respond, and Bruce frowned, it was as if Wally hadn't even heard what he had said.

"Wally, did you hear me?" Bruce asks, getting Wally's attention again, and the speedster slowly nods. "Good, now you better get home. Goodnight" He told Wally, watching him leave. He was worried, yes, Wally was like a son to him. Wally, Dick and Roy were like brothers, or were.

And he was worried about his 'son'.

Not seconds after hearing Wally's departure, Dick came through the door.

"How did he react?" Dick asks and Bruce sighs, running a hand over his face.

"He was distracted, again" Bruce tells his son. "Did he tell you anything?" But Dick just shrugs, not knowing what was wrong with the speedster either.

"I don't think he's eating" Dick opts and Bruce nods with a frown on his face. "There's something more than this" Dick adds and Bruce nods again.

"Did Artemis say anything else?" Bruce eventually asks and Dick nods.

"I think it's better you hear it from her." Dick says and Bruce looks at him. "It's not bad, but she thinks it's her fault you kicked Wally off the team"

Bruce frowns, looking at Dick with a confused expression and the latter huffs.

"Just because we're all mad at him doesn't mean we're concerned, even Artemis. Everyone can see how pale and thin he is" Dick points out, before leading his father back to the living room. Bruce followed, his eyes immediately finding Artemis' form, her arm wrapped in bandages and bruises developing already.

"You wanted to say something?"

Artemis rolls her eyes. "I'm fine Batman, thank you for-" She stops herself at the look Bruce gives her. "Right… " she stops herself. "My injury wasn't Wally's fault" Artemis continues, sitting up slightly. M'gann was sitting next to her, not having left her side ever since they got back, except for the speech Bruce gave them.

"Continue" Bruce spoke with a slight frown, almost completely hidden by his cowl.

"There were archers and I had to take them out first. But Wally was overwhelmed and called for my help, but I couldn't. When he was captured I tried to help him but lost focus-"

"And you got hit" Robin finishes with a thoughtful look on his face, gesturing to the wound on Artemis' arm. The girl nods, rubbing the wound gently to avoid hurting it.

"Wally being pulled off the team has nothing to do with your injury" Batman informed the team, but Robin could see that Bruce had thought Wally were to blame for Artemis' injury, but he also knew that his mentor was genuine when he said that the injury wasn't the reason he benched Kid Flash.

"If that is not the reason Batman, what is?"

"His health" Robin mutters, causing the whole team and Batman to look at him. "Come on Kaldur, you've seen him. Something is wrong with him, he's not feeling the aster"

Artemis scoffs but the team could see right through the apparent anger. She was mad, livid at him. But he had still worked his way into their lives, and they all cared for him. And Artemis, and the rest, was worried about his health and weight loss.

"Robin is right" M'gann whispers, looking down. "I didn't mean to but his emotions were really loud."

"I am aware" Batman frowned, looking at the team. "Kid Flash will be suspended for a week, after that I will speak to him." He announces and Robin frowns.

"Why a week?"

"Because the team is affecting him negatively" Kaldur answers and Batman nods. They didn't need more explanation however, they knew what Kaldur meant. Being on the team was confronting Wally with the situation, and a week away and spending a week with his family would do him good.

Or so they thought.

June 15th, 2011. 22:45

"You don't look traught" Dick commented with a frown and Wally bows his head, resting his elbows on his knees and staring at the floor.

"What are you doing here?" He asks, looking up and watching as Dick walked into his room, leaning against the wall after shutting the window he just came through. Dick didn't immediately answer, taking off his mask to reveal his blue eyes, looking at him with a concerned gaze.

"Are you okay?" He asks, completely ignoring Wally's question.

'Since when do you care?'

'No I'm not'

"I'm fine Dick" Wally mutters, looking away from his former best friend again.

"I don't need to be an empath to know you're lying Wally" Dick points out.

"Then why bother asking?" Wally retorts, looking up and glaring at the younger boy. Dick glared right back at him, both holding their gazes for a moment before Dick's face softened, posture relaxing slightly.

"To get you to talk" He shrugs. "Whatever happened between us doesn't mean I don't care about you anymore"

Wally scoffs. Like you really care.

"I know you're skipping school, I know your grades are slipping. Wally look at you, you're dangerously thin!" Dick cries out and Wally closes his eyes for a moment, eternally grateful that his parents weren't home right now. He didn't want to give his dad another excuse to hit him.

"You're stalking me?" Wally sighs tiredly, rubbing his eyes to get rid of the fatigue that was constantly weighing him down.

"Son of a detective remember?"

"Paranoid bat is more like it" Wally retorts and Dick smiled slightly at the joke but it doesn't humour Wally himself, looking at Dick with dead eyes, his gaze lifeless.

"The team is worried as well" Dick says after a silence, walking over to Wally's desk and sitting down on the chair, his side turned to the ginger speedster and not looking him in the eyes.

Wally kept his mouth shut, not knowing how to respond. He didn't want to make Dick worry, even if he had ended their friendship, he didn't want to worry his former best friend by telling him he didn't need to lie. That he knew Dick was lying, that Dick didn't have to lie to him about the team caring.

Because he knew they didn't care.

The team didn't care.

Dick didn't care.

Nobody cared.

"I'm fine" He eventually opts.

"You keep telling that but you're borderline anorexic Wally" Dick cried out, gesturing to Wally's obvious thin frame. His Kid Flash costume revealed much, like the outline of his ribs. The shirt he was currently wearing however, didn't reveal much. But the cloth hung around his thin frame.

And the thin arms sticking out, and how much room was still left in the shirt proved even more how serious the situation was.

"Not my fault I can't keep anything down" Wally mutters but Dick caught it nevertheless.

"You're sick?" He asks, letting his eyes scan the speedsters body for any sign of sickness. He did seem pale, but he had previously written it off as lack of food. "I thought speedsters couldn't get sick"

"We can" There was almost a bite in Wally's voice, an accusation towards Dick. "Just because we don't get sick often doesn't mean we're immune"

Wally sighs, lowering his head again and massaging his temples in a soothing motion. His head was seriously starting to pound again, or worse as usual, to the point he couldn't ignore it anymore. And he wasn't exactly lying when he didn't deny that he was sick, he was feeling under the weather.

But it wasn't true that he couldn't eat because he was sick. He was sick because he couldn't eat.

And he couldn't eat because he didn't care anymore, and his body rejected it because of his mind and thoughts.

"Look I will be fine, after all, with Kid Flash being suspended I have plenty of time to heal" Wally mocked, biting back the nausea that was attacking him and making his stomach roll, but it wasn't like there was much in his stomach to throw up. And he doubted his throat could take more abuse.

"You're not suspended Wally, Batman said-"

"Take some time off, yea I was there" Wally cut off Dick, swallowing painfully. "Again, why are you here?" Wally continued, hoping that Dick would get the hint.

"I was worried" Dick frowned and Wally looks up.

"You could've texted" He points out.

"Did that almost two weeks ago, you ignored me." Dick says and Wally scowls, turning away again. "You can say you're fine as many times as you want, but I won't believe it. I know you're hiding something"

"I thought we stopped being friends" Wally sneered but Dick calmly shook his head.

"That doesn't mean I stopped caring, or worrying about you. I know you blew off Roy the same way you just now did with me, but I know you better dude. You can tell me Wally, I won't judge you and you know I would trust you more than I trust Artemis, which really isn't the best thing to say as future leader" Dick mumbled the last part but Wally caught it nevertheless.

And still he didn't have the energy to smile even the tiniest bit. The joke didn't do anything to him.

"Look Wally, the way you acted, what you've done, or not done.. doesn't mean I don't miss it, our friendship I mean" Dick admitted, scratching the back of his neck. "I hate we can't be friends anymore, you used to be the one person I could completely be myself, you were my brother Wally"

"You have Roy" Wally pointed out but Dick furiously shook his head.

"That's not the same KF, you know it. Roy is like the big brother but you.. you are my best friend. And I miss it."

"I miss it too" Wally mumbles, furiously rubbing at the tears. "I miss hanging out, laughing, pulling pranks.." He trails off, realising his mistake. He couldn't make Dick sympathise with him… he couldn't know the truth.

Why?

You've already lost everything.

Dick frowns, taking a deep breath as well but not saying anything.

They wouldn't care.

"Is school bothering you?" He asks after a silence and Wally can feel his heart skip a beat. "You're two years ahead, one thing I've noticed is that Americans aren't particularly fond of younger students being in their class"

Wally looks up for a second, painfully aware how close Dick was to the truth, even if the younger bat had no idea he was. At least, he didn't know he was right, he probably suspected it.

"I mean I know Wally, I've skipped a grade as well. Do you think people liked a billionaire foreigner coming to their school and being smarter despite being younger by more than a year?" Dick asks. "But I told Bruce and he dealt with them, they don't bother me anymore"

For which I'm glad.

You didn't have to deal with an entire school.

Those could be stopped because the school couldn't survive without Bruce's money.

My dad doesn't have that leverage.

And he wouldn't care.

"Nobody's bothering me Dick" Wally shot back and Dick snorts.

"I may not be American but I know how American schools work, their hierarchy is sacred. Seniors and sophomores don't mix" Dick explains with a frown but Wally turns his head away again, not ready to see Dick looking at him.

After a long, awkward silence Dick sighs, standing up and putting on his mask again. "Listen Walls, I know you're hiding something" Dick says, walking towards the window. "Just so you know.. you can call me anytime"

Then he, albeit reluctantly, left Wally's room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So do you all hate me a little less now? :3 Bruce can surely be an asshole, but he def isn't one. So benching Wally was because he truly believed it was for Wally's good, and he did it because he cares about Wally.  
> I also read a lot of stories where they fight, and it's just that, they fight and ignore each other. But I don't think that very realistic. Of course the team would still be worried about Wally's (mental)health. So Dick would visit and try to figure out what was bothering Wally. And Artemis would still be worried, and show that worry.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings will be at the end of the chapters, so if you're triggered by something, please read those first! (But the warnings are the same as chapters 2)

Warnings will be at the end of the chapters, so if you're triggered by something, please read those first! (But the warnings are the same as chapters 2)

June 17th, 2011. 11:26

"Wallace West?" The woman in front of the class asks and Wally looks up with a slightly startled look. He recognised the woman faintly, he knew she worked with administration and would often, along with others, walk around the school to inform students of things. Like when the school noticed they had skipped detention, or had skipped school.

Or other stuff the principal wanted to talk about. And whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

"Yes?" He asks, ignoring the stares he got from his classmates.

"Could you come with me?" The woman asks and for a second Wally doesn't know what to say, before he numbly nods. He hears a few snickers through the class but he tries to ignore them as he packs his bag as quickly as possible.

Wally silently walks past the aisle in the class, looking away from the disgusted looks on some of his classmates' faces and leaving the classroom with the woman.

"Don't worry Wallace, you are not in trouble but I don't think I have good news" The woman, Natalie, spoke. Wally looks at her with a confused look. Did Dick do something? No he couldn't have, even if he did do something, he wouldn't've been caught, and he certainly wouldn't leave something behind.

They walked towards the principal office and Natalie allowed him to walk into the office without having to wait. The principal, Michelle, was sitting behind her desk, looking at some papers with a frown on her face before she saw Wally walking in.

Wally hesitantly took a seat, watching as Natalie left.

"Wallace" Michelle started, brushing her fingers through her hair before handing him a piece of paper. "Do you know what that is?"

Wally frowns, taking the paper and looking at it. "My marks?" He asks and Michelle nods.

"What happened? You're a smart boy and your average has suddenly dropped so significantly" Michelle spoke and Wally almost winced at the genuine worry that was in her voice.

"I don't know" Wally whispers, looking down at the paper again.

"You know I vouched for you when we were discussing putting you another year ahead of your age?" Michelle asks and Wally shook his head. "I thought you could but looking at your results.. I am not as sure as I once was"

Wally's eyes widened, head snapping up at the implication.

"This sudden drop is unusual and I have reasons to believe something else may be going on" She stopped and Wally sucked in a breath, heart hammering in his chest. "I'm sorry Wally, I know you're a smart kid but these marks… I can't let you graduate with them" Michelle spoke with a low voice, folding her hands over each other.

Wally can only stare at her for what feels like hours, but in reality it could have only been seconds, fast enough not to notice it, fast enough that there wasn't any awkward silence.

"I- I can't graduate?" He asks, head rushing. He still felt sick, he was still thin. And he still didn't care. But not being able to graduate? Meaning he had to spend another year in this hellhole? He did care about that, and he felt nauseated by the idea.

"It isn't as bad as it sounds Wallace, but you're only 16. An extra year could -" He tuned out not soon after that, staring at Michelle's desk without really looking at anything really. He felt numb, numb and sick at the same time.

He couldn't graduate.

His dad…

He didn't even want to think about what he'd do now.

June 16th, 2011. 23:16 Previous day.

"WALLACE RUDOLPH WEST! YOU BETTER GET DOWN THIS INSTANT!" His father bellowed through the house and Wally jolted to his feet before his brain could properly process what was even happening. His brain was fast enough however, to remember not to use super speed.

He ran down the stairs, in normal speed, towards the living room.

Even if he was benched, his Kid Flash persona was something he would never reveal to his parents.

"What the hell is this bullshit?" Rudy growled the moment Wally walked into the living room and Wally's eyes nervously trailed to the piece of paper his father was holding. He couldn't read what was on it but he saw the sign, big enough for him to recognise it. It was a letter from his school.

"You have been skipping school?" Rudy growled and Wally felt too frozen to respond. His dad walked over to him, allowing the paper to be dropped to the floor before he had a chance to read it. But he didn't have to, he knew what the letter was about, him skipping school for the last few days.

The school had noticed.

"You worthless brat" His father continued, slapping him, hard. "We work our asses off to get you to school and this is how you repay us?" Rudy continued, towering over his son and Wally cowered in fear, biting back a whimper of fear that was threatening to come out of his throat.

Rudy gritted his teeth, lashing out and grabbing Wally by the arm and throwing him against the wall. His head slammed backwards, hitting the wall at incredible speed and he slid down with a pained wheesh. His head throbbed and he looked up, eyes wide. Before he could stop his dad he felt a solid punch land in his stomach.

He groaned, doubling over and a fist stuck out again, catching his side.

June 17th, 2011. 12:38

"What are you doing here?" A voice announced her presence but Dick didn't look up.

"Hey Arty" He greeted her, not surprised by her sudden appearance as he had already heard her come up to him moments ago. "Aren't you supposed to rest?" He asks as Artemis came to sit next to him on the ground, cross legged and her arm still in a sling. Artemis rolled her eyes.

"My arm is fine, aren't you supposed to be in school?"

"Aren't you?" He shot back and Artemis elbowed him with her good arm, barely hard enough to cause any discomfort.

"Left after third period. Didn't have anything import anyways" Artemis shrugged, looking at the youngest member of the team again. "What are you doing here?" She asks again and for the first time during the short conversation, Dick looks up to look at her before looking down again.

They were both on the same rooftop, with one particular building right across the street and in full view of both teens, but both hidden from anyone below. Wally's school, and Dick knew that Artemis knew that this was Wally's school, so he didn't have to explain that.

"Two days ago I visited Wally again" Dick starts softly, watching Artemis. "I tried to get him to talk about what was bothering him but when I asked him about school he reacted very defensive."

"So you think whatever is bothering him is happening at school?" Artemis asks and Dick nods.

"Essentially" He sighs. "Listen Arty, I know you're mad at Wall-"

"Hold that thought bird boy" Artemis interrupted him. "I'm not mad, I'm furious, livid. But that doesn't mean I'm not worried" She told him and he looked at her, nodding.

"You're not the only one" He mutters, turning back to his laptop. "I'm looking through his school records right now but so far they're not overwhelming."

"These are from last year" Artemis frowned and Dick nods.

"I know, but this way I can make a pattern, an algorithm of some sorts." He explained and Artemis nodded slowly, shifting to make herself more comfortable.

"You said I wasn't the only one, are you mad at him as well?" Artemis asks and Dick stays silent for a moment, continuing to scan through numerous piles of data.

He sighs, glancing at the blonde archer. "I am, but he's still my best friend. I'm just trying to find an explanation for what he has done, a reason" Dick explains and Artemis scoffs.

"I may be worried but he still cheated, there's no excuse for that" She frowns.

"But what if it was someone from school? What if he's bullied or he was attacked on the streets"

"I get you're friends with him but he has been refusing for months, because he cheated, and he could've told someone. He knows it's wrong, he deals with this shit every day" Artemis says, staring ahead of her. Still Dick stays calm.

"It isn't that easy Arty, you know that. You didn't say anything either." Dick points out but Artemis shakes her head, deciding to ignore the nickname for now.

"There's a difference, my dad was- is a supervillain" Artemis denies before frowning. "Do you think his dad..?" She asks, trailing off but Dick immediately shakes his head.

"I don't think so, they love Wally." Dick mumbles, besides, Wally would've told him if something bad was going on. They were superheroes, they have dealt with countless abuse cases, Wally knew that it was better than telling. Heck he had helped kids tell the authorities. There was no way.

"He's an only child right?" Artemis asks and Dick nods, something they both had in common. "Why?"

Dick looks up, looking at Artemis. "His mom.. had complications during his birth" He starts. "It didn't affect him, and before you start, he doesn't like anyone making jokes about that, but his mom couldn't do.. things anymore .. because of the pain" Dick hesitantly said, blushing slightly.

"So his mom and dad literally couldn't…" Artemis stops herself, coughing, but she knew that Dick understood her question, not like she expected an answer. "Maybe his mom is mad at him? It is a possibility" Artemis continues, frowning slightly.

Dick was about to respond, say how ridiculous it was before someone caught his eye. "You had that fight two weeks ago right?" He asks and Artemis nods, leaning towards the screen. "His marks dropped afterwards, like a lot"

Artemis frowns, looking at the screen where Wally's marks were shown. And true to Dick's words, his marks had dropped after that date, his average dropping as well along with his individual grades. He couldn't really be that distraught over the fight? Dick was his best friend, and Kid Flash was something he loved.

But he had other friends, he had family, a life outside crime fighting.. right?

"Can he even graduate with these?" Artemis whispers after a silence but Dick shakes his head, pulling up another screen.

"He can't" Dick whispers, eyes skimming over the letter, Wally couldn't graduate. It was written all too clearly, official and already signed.

"Do you think this is the reason he's acting so down?" Artemis asks, reading along with Dick. But the youngest member of the team shakes his head with a frown, scrolling down to see the last part of the letter, but it contained nothing interesting.

"This isn't the reason" he mutters. "This is the result"

"Result of what?"

Dick looks up. "I think whatever is happening to him, is affecting his grades" The bad grades were the result of whatever was bothering Wally. It was the reason he didn't do well in school anymore, and why he couldn't graduate from high school, forced to either redo the year or completely drop out of college.

"So what now?" Artemis asks, shifting slightly.

"I'm going to confront him about it tonight" Dick mutters, shutting off his wrist computer and looking at the school. "For now we wait, see if he's really bullied"

June 17th, 2011. 22:56

"You're not telling Flash, or anyone else that should know Wally is getting bullied why exactly?" Artemis bit back into the comm link and I sigh, looking down at my uniform.

"I will tell them, just not now. I want to hear his side first" I respond calmly, looking at the house in front of me. I was currently sitting on a branch next to Wally's house, but far enough and out of sight for Wally not to see me, unfortunately, I couldn't see him from his spot either.

"Or you can just tell them immediately" Artemis responds dryly.

"Sure and have everyone fuss over him" I respond, sarcasm dripping from my voice. "It may not look like it, but he gets distraught with too much unwanted attention" I explain, closing my eyes for a second. I had seen it first hand, multiple times over the last years. At first I had been surprised.

I thought I knew him, and him being anxious with a big crowd wasn't like him.

But later on I noticed more frequently how my best friend seemed to disappear when too many people were around at certain occasions, primarily with adults and when he didn't know the adults. Or how he tried to hide a certain wound sometimes and be overwhelmed by all the attention.

Another hint that Wally was hiding far more than the apparent cheating.

Because I was sure that it was more than a distaste for unwanted attention, more like Wally was suffering from anxiety or something along the lines. Or even something like agoraphobia, fearing big crowds because the person would think they'd get humiliated or something.

I was well aware that Wally's insecurities didn't end with unwanted attention, I had long deducted the low self-esteem and social anxiety Wally ironically seemed to have.

"Whatever bird boy, I said I worried for him but I'm not that worried to be playing babysitter for him" And with that she disconnected the line. I sigh again, to be fair, I couldn't blame Artemis really, but Wally was my best friend. I couldn't just give up on him, not as his best friend, and not as the guy who knew of Wally's insecurities.

And the fact that whatever was bothering, had to be bigger than what they knew.

Or Wally wouldn't crumble like this.

I sigh again, standing up and swinging to another branch before landing near the window, opening it and climbing inside, something I had done more times than I could remember. Countless nights I had snuck out of the manor, or visited after patrol, and climbed through Wally's window to crash.

Just hang out, even just sleep for most of the time. But right now, the action felt foreign, like I was entering a house that I didn't belong it.

I frown, looking around the room, empty except for myself. I carefully reach for his mask, pulling it off and stuffing it in my belt. For a second I considered changing clothes, having spare clothes in Wally's closet, but I decided against it the moment I heard something crash downstairs.

"Wally?" I whisper hesitantly, but no noise follows the crash. I frown again, walking over to the door and walking down the stairs. The stairs creaked slightly but I didn't pay attention to it, something wasn't right here.

My hand reached down to my belt, fingers lingering above a throwing star, ready to attack whoever was in the house, if someone was even in the house. I stiffen at another sound, almost like .. a whimper. I narrow my eyes, stepping through the door to the living room of Wally's house.

I was prepared for anything, a mugger, a thief, a kidnapper, Wally crying, anything other than this.

Ever since I became Robin I had frozen many times, but those had all been in the past, it hadn't happened lately, but right now I was frozen to the ground, eyes trained on the scene in front of me.

Wally on the ground, pants pushed down and tears running down his face, and a man, Wally's father, looming over him, just as naked as Wally was. And it was obvious what caused the look of pain and anguish on Wally's face, and something just snapped inside of me when Wally lifted his face, eyes catching mine.

He lets out a choked sob, stiffening but I paid no attention to it, leaping forwards.

It didn't matter that he was Wally's dad, it didn't matter that he was almost twice my size. I struck out, elbow catching his face and I could feel and hear the crack of his nose, blood spurting out.

Rudolph stumbled backwards but I didn't give him time to recover, not even caring about not wearing a mask, his breath already gave away that he wouldn't remember much, just as the empty bottles of whiskey did. I charged again, gritting my teeth. The punch was almost hilariously weak but I didn't need much force.

The man's eyes rolled to the back of his head and he fell backwards onto the ground, I didn't have to desire to catch him. I just stood there, whirling around and looking at Wally.

He had his pants pulled up but he was shaking, blood staining his jeans and bruises covering his bare arms. We just looked at each other, fear twinkling in Wally's eyes.

This was the reason.. this was why he didn't tell.

My breath hitches.

This was the man he 'cheated' with.

I mentally shake my head.

Rape. That was the right word. Raped by his own flesh and blood, by his own family.

I take a hesitant step forwards and before I could even blink, Wally was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my defence…. at least someone knows right now? ….
> 
> Warnings:
> 
> Rape, child abuse, mature language etc etc.


	8. Chapter 8

June 17th, 2011. 23:12

"This better be good Robin, I wa-" Superman immediately cuts him off when two blue eyes stare right back at him, overflowing with tears and the boy hunched in on himself. "Robin?" Superman whispers, walking over to the boy and looking around, frowning.

Diana was standing next to him, looking distressed as well and trying to comfort the boy, who seemed so small and vulnerable right now, as much as she could.

"Sit down Clark" She whispers and Robin takes a shuddering breath, looking up. Currently only Superman, Diana, Green Arrow, Dinah and Aquaman were in the room, and right now, Robin was only waiting for two more to show up.

Batman and Flash.

Not soon after the thought the computer announced both their arrival, Flash immediately zipping over to the boy.

"Are you alright Dick? You said it was an emergency?" Flash ranted, barely keeping his voice in regular speed. Instead of assuring the speedster, Dick looks up, shaking his head.

"I'm not" He whispers, letting the tears flow freely.

"Chum?" Bruce asks, pulling off his cowl and crouching down in front of his son. Flash had taken off his cowl as well, worry all too evident in his eyes. Dick looks at his father, reaching out for some comfort, which Bruce gladly gave.

"I-I.. something happened to Wally" Dick whispers and he can see the shock on Barry's face, reeling back as if he was just shot.

"Wally?" He whispers, taking a step forwards. Green Arrow narrows his eyes, still angry at the ginger speedster for what he had done to his protege, but he was worried as well, had been before Dick had come to the watchtower without permission crying his eyes out.

Dick seemed to struggle with what he should say next, continuously opening and closing his mouth, looking at Barry and Bruce, before looking at the rest of the Justice League.

"His father abuses him" He eventually whispers, not daring to look at Barry, instead looking at Ollie. "He never cheated.. his dad raped him" He added. He was prepared for everyone to blow up, deny the statement, deny the accusation he had just made, ask him numerous questions at once.

Instead he was met with silence.

"H-He.. Rudy..?" Barry stammers, and Dick was surprised how long the speedster had been quiet, figuring the silence must've been an eternity for him. "A-Are you sure?"

"I saw them.. I wanted to check up and I saw his dad.." Dick stops himself, looking at the speedster.

"Where is he now?" He asks, biting his lips to prevent tears from escaping, Dick shakes his head.

"He ran.. I don't know where he is, and he shut off his GPS" Dick says, looking at his father. "I'm worried for him, I think he will do something stupid" He continues and he turns his gaze towards Barry, looking at him, begging him to deny it, deny that Wally would do something stupid.

Say something, say that he could find Wally.

But he didn't.

"Batman?" Barry whispers softly, tears in his eyes.

"We will find him Barry" Bruce frowns, turning to Dinah. "Take Robin to the mountain and gather the team for a search mission, I will call in the Justice League and we will coordinate from the watch tower." He orders and Dinah nods, putting a hand on Bruce's shoulder. She waits for a second, eyes flickering towards Barry.

"I know how much Wally means to you, but don't lose yourself in this okay? We will find him" She tells and Bruce isn't even surprised how well Dinah could read him, it was her job after all. Bruce nods, turning to Robin and crouching down.

"Chum, we will find him okay?" Bruce tries to assure his son but Dick just stare at him with a slight frown on his tear streaked face.

"How do you expect me to believe that.." Robin whispers, rubbing his eyes furiously. "When you don't even believe it yourself?"

June 20th, 2011. 20:48

"They will find him" Iris mumbles. "I mean they better find him" Iris bows her head again, numbly staring down at her coffee. Dick looks up at her, not sure how to respond. It had been three days already, and they still hadn't found Wally.

It was no surprise, Wally was quick, the fastest boy alive, and he knew the methods the Justice League used. If he didn't want to be found, he wouldn't for some time. He couldn't stay hidden forever, but his knowledge and his powers gave him an unfair advantage over the ones searching for him.

But Iris had been a mess, forcing herself along with Barry around the country, threatening Batman to let her come in the private jet but the third night had taken a toll on her, she knew she was no use out there, Batman could handle himself alone, Barry would only slow down because of her.

But that didn't make it any easier, and the guilt was too evident in her voice.

"It isn't your fault" Dick tries, averting his gaze with a frown. "If anything, it's mine" He mumbles, but Iris caught it either way.

"This isn't your fault either hon" Iris shakes her head, reaching out for Dick's hand but the ebony boy pulls his arm back, shaking his head and looking up.

"But it is" He denies. "I followed him that day, at school, I saw bullies harass him, I saw them.. bully him. But I didn't tell anyone because I wanted to confront him. If I hadn't.." Dick stops himself, but it was all too clear what Dick would've said, what he implied. If I hadn't maybe his dad wouldn't have raped him.

And he wouldn't be missing right now.

"You don't know that, it's not even true" Iris says, confidence in her voice. "We can only speculate but everything points to the fact that this wasn't the first time it has happened. We were already too late to prevent it"

"Not him running away, if we had seen it sooner, if we had helped him we could've-"

"Don't finish that sentence Dick" Iris cuts in, almost glaring at the boy. "You're not the one to blame, and I'm being hypocritical because I blame myself but it's not your fault"

"Our fault" Dick whispers and Iris chokes on a laugh that sounded a lot like a sob, looking at the boy. "I guess I now understand why he was so anxious" Dick adds after a silence and Iris smiled slightly, eyes still shining with sadness.

"He had always been, we never understood why either" Iris says. "We didn't think much of it because he seemed so comfortable around us, around you, he hid it so well"

"Too well" Dick mutters, looking up again. "Right, no blaming myself" He continues at Iris' stare, hunching in on himself slightly. He was currently wearing one of Wally's big hoodies, too big for him but giving him as much comfort as Bruce could right now. Something he desperately needed right now.

With half of the team, exhausted, the other half on the other side of the world and almost the entire Justice League out there to find his best friend, someone he should've protected.

It was just getting to him, and he had reluctantly obeyed Batman's order of staying with Iris that night. And while he sometimes dared to defy Batman's orders, or like half the time, he would never try to sneak out when Iris was essentially babysitting him.

He just hoped they would find him soon. It wasn't very cold out there, not like Wally would be affected, but it was raining and Wally's condition was already bad.

He couldn't take much more.

June 17th, 2011. 00:32. Three days ago.

"Robin?" Miss Martian almost whispered, flying up to the Boy Wonder but stopping just in front of him, a confused yet scared look on her face. Robin's emotions were radiating off of him as he looked around the room. M'gann, Superboy and Kaldur were already in the room and Artemis was just walking in.

Still in her PJ's and rubbing her eyes.

"I thought I hung up on you bird brain, in most countries-"

"Wally ran away" Dinah interrupts Artemis' ranting, trying to keep herself from snapping but she too was worried sick for the speedster. She knew of the story with Artemis, but she now already knew the other side, and his mental state. As well as his physical state. Both weren't good to say the least.

Artemis stays silent, a moment of hesitance on her face but she remained mostly indifferent. At this point Robin rationally really couldn't blame her. She had every right to be mad with the story she had, she had every right not to care if Wally had run away. But she just didn't know the full story.

"Artemis" Dick started softly and Artemis reeled back suddenly at the vulnerable tone. "He didn't just run.. after I hung up I snuck into his house and I went to the living room.. I found his dad…. raping him. He never cheated on you.." Again, Dick stops himself, not sure how to continue.

Tears appeared in his eyes and a choked sob wrenched his way past his throat, fighting its way out to the world.

Immediately he could feel two strong arms wrap around him and he dissolved in the hug. "I have you my friend" Kaldur said, voice strained to stay calm as he trembled slightly. He looked around, waiting for any indication that whatever Robin had said wasn't true, that he was wrong.

But he got none.

"No… it can't be" Artemis whispers, looking at Dinah with desperate eyes. "Tell me it isn't true, tell me it isn't… anything but that" She cried, turning her gaze to Robin, who looked back with red teary eyes.

Robin didn't say anything, grasping at Kaldur's arms to keep himself grounded to reality. He couldn't lose someone else, he couldn't.. not after his parents, not after everything.

"The Justice League is assembling right now to plan a search mission, you've all been given temporary access to the watchtower so we can discuss plans" Dinah spoke up, her voice strained as well but the most contained out of them all. M'gann was silently crying as well, numb as Superboy had his arms wrapped around her.

No tears were visible in his eyes but the emotions were dripping off him.

He was distressed.

"You're giving us access?" Artemis asks in a whisper, trying to keep the sob out of her voice and she wiped away her tears. Dinah nodded heavily.

"I think we all know you would go out and help either way, better have you in on the plan" Dinah said, eyes falling slightly. "I know you're all upset… but the sooner we start looking the sooner we find him"

June 20th, 2011. 21:08

"I get that, I just thought.." Dick takes a breath, glancing at Iris for a second. "I just thought that we would find him now the whole league is looking for him" He finishes and he can hear Bruce sigh from the other side.

"I know chum, but we will find him. Sooner or later he'll make a mistake and we will find him, everyone in the Justice League is worried about him" Bruce says and Dick nods soundly, despite knowing that Bruce wasn't going to see the nod.

"Barry?" Dick asks, knowing Bruce would understand the underlying question.

There was a silence for a moment. "He hasn't slept much" Bruce admits and Iris face falls at the sentence. Dick had long put the phone on speaker, knowing that Iris was just as worried about Wally as he was, and wanted the update from Batman as well.

"I don't think he will" Iris intercepts and Dick looks at her.

"I have Hal looking after him, he will be okay Iris. And we will find Wally" Bruce says but Iris looks down, shaking her head but doesn't say anything. "Listen, I have to go. Take care chum" Bruce continues and Dick hums, turning off the phone. He looks up, watching as tears appear in Iris' green eyes.

The same green eyes as Wally, and fortunately not the same as Rudy's.

Iris looks up as well, face hardening as she sees Dick stare right back at her. She was the adult here, she was supposed to stay strong. Dick was only 14, he shouldn't have to comfort her. And yet, she found it difficult to stop her tears from coming. She hadn't cried much, but hearing that her nephew was still lost, and her husband wasn't doing much better.

It was all getting too much.

She wiped away her tears, and Dick slowly averts his gaze, wrapping his arms around his body and hunching in on himself. A silence ensued, and none had any idea how to break it, and none had any desire to do so in the first place.

"Aunt Iris?"

Immediately two heads snap up, whirling around to watch the figure standing in the door opening. He was still wearing the same clothes as three days ago, the same shirt and the same pants. The clothes hung off his frame like a cloth, and his cheeks were sucked in, thin enough to be anorexic.

He was shaking, presumably from the cold and he had dark bags under his eyes.

Iris doesn't say anything, rushing to get out of her chair before closing the distance between her nephew and herself within seconds, wrapping her arms around him tightly. She forces him closer, squeezing gently and almost recoiling at his thin frame, shuddering as she could feel bone.

"Oh thank goodness" She whispers, running one hand through his hair. Wally doesn't move, silent tears falling down his cheeks as he allows Iris to hug him. After minutes Iris reluctantly lets him go, but Dick immediately wraps his own arms around the ginger, less gentle than Iris was.

Wally remained stiff through both embraces, eyes travelling to Iris' eyes as Dick hugged him. He didn't speak, didn't say or give an indication he wanted to. He just looked at his aunt, tears continuing to stream down his face.

"Are you whelmed?" Dick whispers in Wally's ear and only then does Wally move, wrapping his arms around the smaller boy and burying his face in the crook of his neck.

"Over" He mumbles, his voice shaky and Dick lets out a dry laugh. Over, overwhelmed. Wally didn't need to say much more for Dick to understand, they never had needed it.

"That's okay, you don't have to be" Iris whispers, walking up to both boys and putting a hand on Wally's shoulder. And suddenly Wally burst out into tears, wrapping his own arms around Iris' as he buries his face in her neck, crying and sobbing. The sobs are ragged, and he was struggling to catch his breath, too weak to actually do so.

But he was home.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings at the bottom!

June 21st, 2011. 15:08

Wind was whipping around him, but he didn't pay attention to it, didn't pay attention to the apparent cold, even if it was almost summer. He didn't care, he didn't feel it as he looked down, staring down at the water, so far below him. 65 feet almost, 20 meters, and far enough to kill him.

Far enough to stun him if he would survive, far enough to eventually kill him.

"Wally please, don't do this" A voice interrupted Wally's thoughts but he didn't move, staring down at the water, wild and raging, waiting to swallow him up.

"Please Wally" Iris plead and slowly Wally turns around, watching everyone. Barry, Iris, Dick, Artemis, Kaldur, Roy, they were all standing with him, a considerable distance between them, they wouldn't be fast enough to catch him were he to jump, not even uncle Barry would be fast enough.

He was going to die, he was going to make sure of it.

"I'm sorry" Wally whispers, looking up with tears in his eyes. "I-I can't.. do this"

"It's only been five days kid! We can figure this out" Barry pleads, taking a step forwards. But Wally immediately took a step backwards, causing Barry to take one backwards again to create the same amount of distance again. The minimal distance Wally had forced upon them.

Threatened to jump were they to approach him.

"He said he'd hurt you..I can't risk it.." Wally mumbled, clutching his head with gritted teeth.

"Police arrested him KF, he can't hurt us" Dick tries, tears appearing in his eyes, he couldn't lose his best friend, not ever, and especially not like this. He lost too many already, suffered too much already. KF was his rock, his sanity.

"He will tell.. he will tell everyone" Wally mumbles, turning around again and everybody tenses, Iris immediately taking a step forwards.

"He doesn't know anything! You said you didn't tell your parents anything, they don't know about your powers, he can't blackmail us" She almost yells, eyes fearful.

Wally stiffens, eyes widening. "I-I didn't.. but dad said h-he knew everything. What if he does know? What if he tells?"

"He doesn't know anything Wally, J'onn checked his mind" Barry cut in, taking a step as well. Wally didn't react, and Barry dared to take another, getting closer to Wally again. How had everything gone to hell so quickly? They just found him, he had just come home, and they let him alone.

They allowed him to be alone, escape.

Wally doesn't react for a long time, shaking with his back turned to the rest. "I'm damaged.. he used me, I'm damaged" He whispers, whirling around again with desperate eyes.

"Like hell you are Walls" Roy yells. "You're not damaged"

"He raped me" Wally shot back, voice cracking through the sentence, tears streaming down his face.

"He did, but that doesn't make you worth anything less" Iris whispers, holding out her hand. "Come back with us Wally"

Wally stares at the hand, taking a hesitant step forwards before his head slowly tilts upwards, looking at everyone that is surrounding him, much closer than they had been at the beginning, when they just stopped him from jumping. He looks at Barry, looking at him with desperate eyes, and with such love.

At Iris, at Roy, at everyone who cared for him, trying to prevent him from jumping.

At Dick, his best friend. Green eyes lock with blue eyes. "I'm sorry" Wally whispers.

"NO!" Wally just heard before he jumped. He closed his eyes, preparing for a quick fall but his eyes snapped open as something wrapped around his wrist. He felt the hand before he came to a sudden stop, his arm jerking harshly. He cried out in pain, a shrill cry escaping his throat.

Someone had caught him, Barry had caught him. Uncle Barry had caught him.

He goes limp, fresh tears streaming down his face. He jumped, he jumped, he still wanted to die. So why was he so relieved Barry caught him? Because he cared, it meant he cared about him, it meant Barry didn't want him dead.

That he wasn't a burden, that it didn't matter that he was damaged, someone loved him.

Wally choked on a sob, looking up. And then everything stopped around him, instead of meeting blue eyes and blond hair, he met brown eyes and brown hair.

"You can't get away from me so easily, son"

June 21st, 2011. 04:15

A cry escapes his throat, gurgling sounds coming out of his throat and he flails with his limbs, falling out of the bed in his panic.

Dick was immediately up, gone before Wally had even fallen from the bed. Adrenaline coursed through his body and he winced as Wally landed painfully on the floor, crying out again, either from pain or from the nightmare still. Dick rushed over to his best friend, dropping to his knees and putting his hands on Wally's torso.

"Wally!" Dick yelled, trying to restrain Wally as much as he could. Wally's eyes snapped open, bloodshot eyes staring up at the bright blue ones. "Calm down, please" Dick pleaded, ignoring how warm Wally was feeling, and how wet his clothes were from the sweat. He didn't care either way.

Wally blinked multiple times, tears slowly welling up but he still didn't say anything, panting harshly.

"I-I.. I-It was a d-dream?" He stammered, slowly getting up. Dick watched him like a hawk, shifting slightly but nodding slowly.

"Looks like it" He whispers, still watching his best friend. "You want to talk about it?" But Wally shakes his head numbly, eyes glazing over at the thought of the dream. Dick was silent for a while, just watching Wally, who was already unresponsive in the first place, and they sat in silence.

Wally's breaths were still slightly laboured, and he was shivering slightly.

"I think your bed is more comfortable than the floor" Dick suggests after a while and Wally looks at him, nodding numbly. Dick helps him stand up, not sure how much he needed it right now considering he was still too thin, guiding him to the bed again. Wally immediately crawls under the blanket.

"Think you can sleep?" Dick asks but Wally just looks at him, eyes still glazed over.

"Don't leave me" Wally whispers, turning his head towards his best friend. Dick blinks a couple of times.

"I won't" He says, frowning as he looks at the bed. They had shared it too many times to count, it was big enough for the two of them, but right now everything was different. How had Wally done this? How had he trusted him enough to sleep so closely to? How did he trust anyone to be in the same bed again?

How could he still be in the same bed after his dad had raped him?

"Is it okay if I..?" Dick trails off, gesturing to the open space next to Wally. The ginger looks down, looking up again almost as if he was confused before a look of anguish spread over his face and he paled slightly, if he could get any paler. But he nods nevertheless, scooting over a bit.

Almost hesitantly, Dick crawls into the bed, turning on his side and face towards the ginger speedster.

"I'm sorry I didn't believe you" He whispers, Wally looking right back at him.

"I didn't want you to" He responds, fidgeting in his spot slightly, uncomfortable with the conversation.

"Still, I could see you weren't traught and I didn't do anything"

"You broke into my house" Wally tries and Dick snickers lowly.

"Too late" He says, turning serious again. "I should've seen it Wally.. we're best friends.. I know everything about you.. why didn't you say anything?" Dick says, voice turning desperate. Wally is silent, watching his best friend with guilt in his eyes.

"I was scared"

"Of what?" He asks, frowning.

"You. You rejecting me.. dad coming after me." He spoke but Dick shakes his head.

"That's not all, is it?" He asks and Wally's eyes flicker back to Dick's eyes. He knew, of course he knew. He is a bat after all.

So why didn't he know about your dad?

He forced the thought away, he hid that on purpose, he tried to keep that from him.

"You thought you deserved it right?" Dick whispers and Wally just averts his eyes, not able to look Dick in the eyes. Yes, he did deserve it. "That's all bullshit KF, you don't deserve any of it and you know it damn well."

"I don't know" Wally whispers, staring at the raven haired boy before turning on his back. Dick didn't say anything, only watching Wally like a hawk. Eventually Wally had closed his eyes, breath evening out as an indication that he was asleep again.

And only then did he close his eyes as well, allowing himself to fall asleep again.

June 21st, 2011. 08:12

"Morning" Wally's small voice entered the room and Iris immediately whirls around, looking at her nephew standing in the kitchen entrance, a blanket wrapped around his slightly shaking body and still looking as sick as he looked yesterday, when he just got home.

"Hey" Iris greeted, completely forgetting about her cooking as she turned around. "How are you feeling?" She carefully walked up to him, waiting for him to react badly but he didn't react at all, staring at his aunt. He looked smaller than he actually was, shrinking into himself and looking vulnerable.

Nothing like the energetic nephew she knew.

Nothing like the superhero and the fastest boy alive.

"Better I guess" Wally shrugs and Iris smiled, despite knowing that Wally was far from okay right now.

"Go sit down, I almost finished breakfast" She tells him and he nods, sitting down on the table. "Aunt Charlotte sent another package, from the Netherlands this time" She says without looking at Wally, focusing on the cooking again.

Charlotte was Iris' sister, and Wally's aunt. But he had rarely seen her in his life. She was mostly busy with her work, which consisted mostly of travelling through Europe. She wasn't the kindest to him but she always sent a package to them once she visited another country with stuff in it.

The package was always sent to Iris but that was just to avoid shipping it twice, one to Iris and one to Rudy, and avoid more shipping costs.

"What is it?" Wally asks as Iris flips the pan, sliding something onto a plate before handing it to him.

"Dutch pancakes" She said, looking at him. "It's usually eaten as dinner but I thought you'd enjoy it as breakfast" She continued and Wally stared at it, stomach growling.

"Thanks" He mumbles, digging in. Iris sighed, turning off the stove and sitting down as well. Wally was eating, which relieved her, but he was eating slowly, and not like a speedster.

She looks up suddenly as the front door opens and closes, before relaxing slightly as she recognised the steps as her husband's. Not seconds later, Barry seemed to rush in, a fatigued look on his face but his eyes were immediately drawn towards his nephew, blue eyes meeting green.

"Kid!" Barry cried out, rushing over to Wally and wrapping his arms around him. For a second Iris wanted to scold and yell at him for rushing at Wally like that but the younger speedster didn't seem to flinch or be scared, immediately returning the hug and burying his face in Barry's chest.

"Kid I'm so sorry. So so sorry, I should've believed you.. I should've seen it" Barry mumbles but Wally shakes his head.

"Don't be sorry, please uncle B" Wally whispers, not letting go of his uncle.

"I was supposed to protect you, even from your parents" Wally stiffens slightly at the mention of his parents, pulling away hesitantly. Barry looks at Iris for a moment, before he sits down next to his nephew, keeping a hand on his shoulder.

"Wally… the police arrested your parents" Barry spoke with heavy heart, looking at his nephew, who in turn didn't react. "We contacted the police almost immediately after Dick told us about them, they're in custody right now"

"But we don't have evidence" Wally tries to reason, looking down at himself. "I heal too fast Uncle Barry" Barry looks guilty for a second, biting his lip as a nervous habit.

"That's no problem Kid…" He hesitates for a moment. "Bats installed cameras a long time ago, in every house of the team. In case something happened… like this" Barry explains, heart beating and not sure how his nephew would react.

"Oh" Wally said softly, and he didn't seem particularly angry. "Did you.. watch them?"

"Bats never watched any of them, they were just in case." Barry shakes his head. "But after Dick told us.. I watched them, yes." Wally looks away in shame, shutting his eyes for a moment.

"I know this is all too fast but I want you to know that we want to give you a home here, if you want as well. You don't have to worry about that" Iris spoke up, and Wally looks at her. "Bruce already contacted a lawyer and we talked to her about adopting you legally"

"You would do that?" Wally whispers, looking up with wide eyes. Barry chuckles softly, wrapping an arm around Wally's frame and bringing him closer to his side.

"Of course we would kiddo" Barry whispered, kissing the top of Wally's red hair and the latter slumped in the hug, burying his face in Barry's chest. The 'thank you' Wally muttered was almost inaudible, but the older speedster caught it nevertheless, smiling gently.

June 21st, 2011. 10:56

"You know" Dick starts and Wally turns his head towards the younger boy. "I don't know what's more turbing, watching you eat, or watching you not eat" He continued, eyeing at the still too malnourished form of his best friend. Wally frowns, knowing exactly what Dick was hinting at.

"For once I'm not hungry" He defends himself and Dick shrugs in response.

"Just because you're not doesn't mean your body doesn't need it"

"Dick is right kiddo, I can see your ribs" Barry spoke up, poking Wally in the ribs. Wally jerked to the side, scowling at his uncle, but the playful gleam in his eyes was more than evident and Barry smiled.

"What if it comes up again?" Wally asks, voice stronger than it had been this morning.

"I hope it doesn't happen but you need to eat Wally, this isn't healthy. At least try" Barry continued, staring at his nephew.

"Fine" Wally muttered almost angrily, reaching out for the food that was still taunting him on the table in front of him. Barry smiled sadly as he watches his nephew eat, it was almost unsettling to see the way he ate, slow and not like a speedster, but at least he was eating again.

"How about we go shopping for furniture once you're feeling up to it?" Barry asks, glancing at both Dick and Wally. "Bats gave us his creditcard so I say we use it" He continued with a grin. Immediately both Dick and Wally turned to each other, huge grins on their faces.

"Ikea!" Dick exclaimed, causing Wally to snicker.

"Weren't you banned?" Barry deadpanned but Dick just shrugged.

"Only the one in Brooklynn" Wally gleamed, grinning at the memory.

"And the one near DC" Iris cut in, standing in front of the living room with a frown on her face. Both Dick and Wally tried to look innocent but the joy of the memory and the prospect of going again made it impossible to do so. Iris eventually sighed, a small smile tugging at her lips as well.

Wally was smiling again, and it was a relief.

"So you're officially adopting me?" Wally asks suddenly, looking at both Barry and Iris.

"We are kiddo, we won't fail you again" Barry said, voice dropping slightly. Wally's expression softens slightly.

"You never failed me, any of you. I didn't want you guys to find out" Wally shakes his head. "You had every reason to hate me, but you didn't… you looked for-" Wally voice cracks, but he doesn't get to finish the sentence before a figure tackles him, wrapping two arms around him.

"Aw missed me buddy?" Wally grins, wrapping his arms around Dick in response. Dick grumbled, glaring at him with minimal distance between them.

"You had us worried sick kid" Dick snaps, before looking down. "Don't do that again"

Wally frowns but doesn't say anything, instead he just buries his face in Dick's neck, bringing the younger boy closer for support. It was silent for a moment, Wally melting in the embrace. He felt safe here, surrounded by his family. His aunt and uncle who had been better parents than his real ones could ever be.

His little brother protecting him.

"Wait, did anyone tell Roy?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YJ
> 
> I just love how it's like universally accepted among the fandom that nobody ever tells Roy when one of his little brothers get hurt xD Like he will either be really angry once he hears about it, or he will angrily storm inside whatever room they are in and ruin the moment.
> 
> Warning:
> 
> Mention of past rape! Mention of suicide


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings and really important message at the bottom!

June 21st, 2011. 12:15

"Thank fuck you're okay" Roy muttered, wrapping his arms tightly around his younger brother. Wally groaned, yelping in surprise as Roy pulled him closer.

"I'm okay Roy" Wally practically wheezed and Roy released him, scanning him with a deep frown on his face. "Rooyyy" Wally whined, only further annoying the archer in front of him. Dick grinned, walking up to his two older brothers. Roy quickly looked at Dick, exchanging a silent conversation.

But Dick just nodded, he was okay, Roy didn't need to fuss over him.

"You lost weight" Roy stated, frowning and almost looking disgusted at the discovery. Wally grins almost sheepishly but fights the urge to squirm or hide his figure. He knew he was still severely underweight, for a speedster that is.

"Believe me, it was worse" Dick stated with a shrug.

"Cause that's helping" Wally mutters, rolling his eyes.

"It will help him worry less" Dick shrugs, and Roy snorts at the sentence. The two younger sidekicks understood what Roy meant with that snort. As if he would ever worry less.

"Wally?" Roy grumbled at the voice, looking Wally straight in the eyes before taking a reluctant step sidewards, revealing his immediate younger brother to the rest of the cave, and at the same time, reveal him to the Martian that was hesitant standing in the door opening.

"Hey M'gann" Wally whispered softly, and M'gann hesitantly flew towards the speedster, stopping in front of Wally and standing on the ground instead of hovering. There was a short silence where nobody dared to move until it was, ironically enough, Wally who made a move by wrapping his arms around the girl.

"I'm sorry" M'gann whispered in the hug, lightly hugging Wally as if she was afraid to hurt him, more than she already did by casting him out.

"Don't be" Wally whispered back, squeezing for a second before releasing her. M'gann frowned lightly, scanning him quickly, the guilty look never disappearing from her face.

Both teammates looked up, watching as both Kaldur and Superboy walked up to Wally. Kaldur was the one to initiate the hug this time, pulling Wally in a firm but quick hug. Wally smiled at the hug, knowing how much it meant that Kaldur was hugging him as the Atlantean wasn't a hugger at all.

"I am sorry for not believing you" He spoke, a quiet tone and guilt laced in his voice.

"I never gave you a reason to doubt Artemis" Wally whispers back and Kaldur frowns slightly, guilt all too obvious on his face. Wally sighs, knowing he could never fully convince Kaldur that it wasn't his fault, so he let it drop for now. He looks up, gaze travelling from his teammates until another figure caught his attention.

He froze slightly at the sight of the blonde archer, suddenly not knowing how to act anymore. But Artemis already beat him to it, quickly walking over to him and tightly wrapping her arms around his neck. It took Wally awhile to respond, but eventually he wrapped his arms around Artemis as well, bringing her closer.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Artemis whispers softly in his ear, keeping the conversation as private as possible. Wally frowns, squeezing her back softly.

"I don't know" He answers honestly, burying his face in her shoulder in shame, heart pounding at the safeness he felt, something he hadn't felt for so long.

"You're an idiot" She spoke, and Wally snorts out a laughter, breaking the hug to grin at her.

"So I am" He whispers, looking her into the eyes before he felt someone walk up and stand besides him.

"Told you nobody would be mad" Dick grinned, elbowing him. Wally rolled his eyes, pushing Dick to the side with playful laughter.

YJ

June 21st, 2011. 16:06

"Aunt Iris, Uncle Barry, we're home!" Wally announced as he opened the front door, not bothering to close it as Dick followed him closely, closing the door himself. He frowned slightly as he got no answer, walking into the living room.

"They aren't home" Came another voice and immediately Wally's head snaps to the side, brightening slightly at the sight of Paula sitting in her wheelchair, before frowning.

"Back to your life of crime Paula?" Wally teased weakly, not sure what to do just yet and rooted to the ground. Paula on the other hands sighs, wheeling over to the speedster.

"Anything to see you Wally" She spoke, extending her arms, and Wally accepted her invitation without any hesitation, wrapping his own arms around Paula's frame as well, burying his face in Paula's shoulder. He could faintly hear his best friend walking up the stairs, for which he was grateful.

He reluctantly broke the hug, walking over to the couch and sitting down.

"Batman let you use the Zeta tubes?" He asks and Paula nods.

"I was worried about you, I heard everything from Artemis, including you running away and the … whole story" She tells him and Wally looks down in shame, fidgeting with his hands. Paula reaches out carefully, taking one of his hands and squeezing it softly. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything before"

"What?" Wally asks bewildered, frowning in confusion. "You knew?" There was a hint of hurt in his voice.

"I had my suspicions, but I wasn't sure. And I didn't think it was this bad." Paula explains and Wally nods, slumping slightly. He couldn't blame Paula for not saying anything, he tried to hide it after all. "This is why you didn't tell your parents about being Kid Flash right? And why you asked me for advice"

Wally nods painfully, looking up. "I've never had a good relationship with my mom or dad. When I was born I injured mom, she couldn't really move well and they couldn't do...it" He stops but Paula nods, knowing what Wally meant. "And my dad.. he was heartbroken when mom went nuts and started drinking… both did"

"That's not all, is it?" Paula presses gently and Wally looks away. There wasn't any urgency in Paula's voice, he knew he didn't have to say anything. But as always, he felt safe with Paula, he trusted her more than his own mother. He trusted her as much as he trusted aunt Iris or uncle Barry.

"When dad got drunk he used to look for other girls.. to satisfy himself. But I guess he still felt loyal to mom in a twisted way.. " Wally takes a deep breath. "So he turned to me eventually, because I was half of mom. Didn't really look like her but.. I was still half of her" Paula nods again, she knew Wally looked nothing like his parents.

Didn't look like his mom, or his dad. If anything, if they were to ask any stranger, they would say Iris was his mom, instead of Mary. They both had red hair, green eyes and freckles, albeit Wally's being more noticeable. Heck, even his personality was closer to Barry's, compared to Rudy or Mary.

"How long ago was that?"

Wally looks down again, fiddling with his fingers. "It started 6 years ago" Wally cringed as Paula gasped in surprise, and he glanced up to see a sad look pass over her face.

"Why did you not say anything?" She asks but Wally shakes his head with an equally sullen look.

"I-I… I don't know" Wally admits honestly, frowning slightly. "Did you hate me when you.. heard?"

But much to his surprise, Paula shakes his head. "I was heartbroken for the both of you. You are both very dear to me, and I knew you were not someone who would cheat" Paula answered sincerely and Wally chuckles dryly.

"The suspicions helped I think" He opts and Paula smiled slightly as well, nodding her head.

June 21st, 2011. 22:32

"Hey Paula" Iris greeted as she walked into the living room, Barry following her closely. "You didn't call yet, but it was getting late"

Paula looked up at that, a slight apologetic look on her face. "Sorry, I guess I forgot the time." She says, glancing at the sleeping figure of Wally. "Will you be okay bringing me home still?" She asks and Barry smirks, walking over to the couch and looking down at his nephew with a smile on his face.

"Of course Paula" He says, zipping over to the other side of the couch and bringing the wheelchair over to the couch she was currently sitting on. Barry let the wheelchair next to Paula before zipping to the other side of the couch, sitting down next to Wally. The younger speedster was curled up against Paula.

Green eyes closed and sleeping soundly.

"Kid" Barry gently shook Wally, picking him up gently and letting him flop against his side instead of Paula's. The latter smiled warmly, reaching out for her wheelchair and switching from the couch to the wheelchair again. "You gotta wake up kid" Barry says, snickering as Wally sleepily blinks his eyes open.

"I fell asleep?" He mumbles, drowsily straightening up and rubbing his eyes. Barry barks out a laugh, ruffling Wally's hair and standing up.

"You did" He laughs, zipping over to Paula's. "Ready to go?" The woman nods, sitting still as Barry pushes her outside and helps her in the car to zeta back to Gotham. Wally sighs, numbly sitting on the couch for a while before rubbing his eyes again and standing up.

"I'm going to bed" He announces and Iris smiles sadly, pecking a kiss on his forehead when he walked past her.

"Goodnight hun" She whispered, hugging him quickly before letting him go. Wally nods, still slightly out of it but he safely made his way up the stairs.

"Dick?" Wally asks, slightly confused at the figure laying on his bed. He had realised his best friend had walked upstairs, but he had figured he would leave. Not like he minded Dick staying over at all.

Wally carefully closes the door, the light still on, and walking over to his bed. Still, Dick didn't even move or made signs of waking up. His glasses were discarded on his desk, revealing his full face. He was laying on his stomach, right hand under his head that was turned to the left, while his left arm was at his side.

Even when asleep, he seemed tired.

Wally sighs, walking over to the side of the bed and picking up the blanket that had fallen off the bed. Dick had most likely fallen asleep on bed without meaning to. The ginger carefully placed the blanket on top of him, causing the younger boy to stir for a few seconds but again, he didn't wake up.

"You're hogging my bed, asshole" Wally whispered, grinning slightly as he walked over to the other side of the bed again. Much to his surprise, Dick still didn't wake up. Guess he was really tired.

Wally sighs, climbing into his bed and pulling the blanket over himself as well, closing his eyes.

June 22nd, 2011. 8:48

"Wake up princess, I'm not your human pillow" Wally muttered, pushing Dick off himself for the third time. The last two tries had both ended in Dick clinging to him again. The youngest of the two cackles softly, opening his eyes sluggishly.

"Rude" He retorts, rolling onto his back and staring at the ceiling. "Your room is so not whelmed" He comments after a moment and Wally knew immediately what Dick was referring to. Despite not having been to Wally's real house, which was even worse, Dick knew how expressive Wally was.

And having such a bland room just didn't match with Wally's personality.

"Barry is free this weekend, we're going shopping then"

"It's already on my schedule" Dick teases with a grin and Wally groans, throwing his arm over his eyes.

"I'm already dreading another restraining order" He jokes and Dick gniffles at the comment, shoving Wally and sitting up. Wally watched his best friend for a moment with thoughtful eyes. His hair was ruffled, face still plastered with sleep, something the boy wonder rarely allowed himself to display.

He rarely allowed himself to be this vulnerable.

Somewhere during the night he had taken off his hoodie, and he was currently only wearing a green shirt and sweatpants that had been Wally's. Wally couldn't help but smile, he didn't know if he'd be there without his best friend with him. The fact that Dick had cared enough to check up on him that fateful night proved to him that he cared.

That someone cared.

So he returned home, because he started to doubt his own doubts. Did Barry really love him? Did Iris really love him? And how fast would they forgive him now they knew the truth, would they even forgive him at all? And on the other hand, Wally had pushed through the abuse for so many years because of the love everyone had given him.

The team, the league, Hal, but most importantly Roy, Dick, and his Aunt and Uncle.

"I'm going to get breakfast" Dick yawned, and Wally snickered at the irony of the situation. But he quickly stood up as well when his stomach rumbled as well, really hungry for the first time since Artemis had discovered… well his whole secret. At the time she hadn't known it yet.

Wally sighed, quickly zipping after Dick, down the stairs and into the kitchen. To his surprise, both his aunt and uncle were sitting in the kitchen.

"Aunt Iris, uncle Barry?" He asks slowly, and even Dick seemed to be suspicious of them being there. He knew as well that they were both supposed to be at work right now. And it wasn't like they had announced they would be staying home for Wally, especially not both of them.

But their expressions were joyful, hopeful and maybe slightly anxious. Wally could see them holding hands, loving each other like parents were supposed to love each other, and something was on the table.

"Wally, sit down" Barry urged gently and the ginger speedster nervously glanced at the other speedster, before glancing at Dick. HIs best friend didn't really react but walked over to table, sitting down as well. Iris smiled at him, eyes sparkling. Dick was family as much as Wally was to them.

Wally hesitantly sat down next to Dick, looking at his aunt and uncle with a suspicious look.

"It's good news Wally, don't worry… at least we hope you see it as good news" Iris quickly spoke and Wally relaxed slightly. Barry reached out for Wally's hand, squeezing it firmly and Wally cracked a smile, still buzzing slightly in anticipation.

"Bats helped us, that's why it's quicker than normal. But he got it to us early this morning. We stayed home to surprise you" Barry spoke, sliding over the small package that was on the table. Wally hesitantly, took it and opened the envelope with papers. Carefully he took out the top one.

"You're adopting me?" Wally stammers, head snapping upwards. Barry snickers lowly, nodding.

"We said we would, didn't we kid?"

Wally shakes his head, hand shaking slightly. "I-I know you did.. I just.. didn't think I would actually-" Wally stops himself, looking up with teary eyes. "Thank you" He mutters and that's what did it for Iris. She quickly stood up, hurrying herself to her nephew's side and squeezing him to her side.

Wally complied, burying her head in his embrace and letting the tears of joy stream down his face.

"You're gonna be my parents" He mutters thickly, laughing in her embrace. Iris laughs as well, disconnecting the hug and placing a hand on the side of Wally's face, gazing into her nephew's face lovingly.

"We always were Wally" She whispers. "If that's okay with you of course" Instead of verbally responding Wally chokes out a laugh, nodding vigorously and looking at his uncle. Barry smiled warmly at him.

"We love you so much kid, always have" Barry whispered and Wally looked at him with desperate eyes. The look told Barry enough and he stood up, rushing over to join the embrace.

Tears of happiness continuously streamed down Wally's face as he was surrounded by the three people he cared most about. And he knew, despite how hard the road was obviously going to be, that things were going to look up for him.

His family, his friends, his teammates, would help him heal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So one more chapter to go after this, thank you so much for everyone who has reviewed so far!
> 
> Important note: So I just heard that the EU voted in favour of implementing a new set of laws, including something called Article 13. And this could potentially ruin the internet! Because if this law is truly implemented (I don't know how it really works, but apparently it's still not completely approved) then it will be impossible for anyone in Europe to write fanfiction anymore, and maybe even in the entire world. Because of the copyright issues and all that. (Memes, react videos, gaming videos etc will also be taken down)
> 
> I'm truly terrified of this happening, because it means I will lose one of my greatest hobbies, and I will lose the joy of speaking to all of you out there. So please, even if you don't live in Europe, take time to sign any of the numerous petitions that are going around, and stop this Article from being implemented. Also, try to spread awareness, so more people know about this. Because if it hadn't been for Tumblr, I wouldn't have known about this either but this will drastically change everything we know about the Internet and we can't let that happen!  
> (This is also the reason I'm uploading my stories on AO3 right now, cause there's a possibility that FF.net will not be allowed anymore, and AO3 will be. Don't know if this is true, but for now, I'm putting them all on AO3 so I won't lose them all when FF.net is blocked) 
> 
> Warnings: References to past rape.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter! Thank you so much, and I hope you enjoyed the story!

June 27th, 2011 12:52

"I heard the news" A new voice entered his room, and Wally whirled his head around. In the doorway stood Artemis, as beautiful as ever. Her hair was down and she was wearing some casual clothing.

"Hey Arty" Wally greets the girl, a slight sense of awkwardness hanging in the room. The girl smiled slightly, walking into the room and allowing the door to shut behind her. She walks over to his desk without hesitation, sitting down on it and looking at the room. It hadn't changed much, except for the fact that the pictures still hadn't returned to their rightful place.

She swallowed slightly, her actions still painful in her mind. The rage she had felt so wrongfully.

"Are you going to put the pictures back?" Wally looks around with a slight frown at Artemis' question. They both knew that the question wasn't entirely directed at the pictures. It was an indirect question if they were okay, what would happen to their relationship now the truth was out in the open.

Wally sits down on the bed, crawling backwards until he was sitting with his back against the wall.

"I'm not sure" Wally whispered honestly and Artemis' expression softens slightly, a more gentle look on her face.

"Nightmares?" She asks and Wally snorts.

"Amongst others" He chuckled dryly but Artemis frowns at the joke. Wally's expression turns serious again. "I don't think I'm ready to get back together just yet Artemis" He says honestly, looking up at her with a serious expression.

"I get that, I'm surprised you kept this relation going as long as you did, that you started it at all" Artemis said and Wally chuckles, shaking his head slightly.

"Belief it or not, I liked it" Artemis snorts at the comment, but she understood what he meant. "It made me feel safe.. wanted.." He looks to the side, gnawing at his bottom lip.

"Until we tried to go further" Artemis finished his train of thought and Wally nods.

"That scared me.. I didn't want that for our relationship because I knew how much it would hurt, and I was scared that it would ruin everything" Wally continues. Artemis could feel anger crawling inside of her, wanting nothing more than to beat the living crap out of Wally's dad for doing this to him.

Or his mother for letting it all happen. Maybe herself for not noticing the signs of abuse, or realise that Wally would never, ever, cheat on her like that. He may be loud, and sometimes annoying, but he was loyal to the fault and would do anything to protect his teammates and friends.. his family.

Except seek help when his dad was sexually abusing him.

"Don't do anything stupid for revenge" Wally almost chuckled and Artemis looked stunned for a moment before realising what Wally meant. Of course he'd be able to read her like an open book. Wally always had a gift for sensing emotions, always knew when Dick was feeling down, when Artemis was angry.

Almost alwaysknew the right thing to say when M'gann was feeling lonely and unwanted, when Superboy was furious again at whatever minor inconvenience he had encountered.

"I'm not worth ending up in jail for" He snickered and Artemis frowned, kicking off from the desk and walking over to Wally's bed, sitting down next to him.

"If it would help you, I would be happy to get caught" She said, her tone certain and leaving no room for debate. Wally stared at her for a couple of moments, shocked, and yet not at all shocked, at the willingness Artemis had to protect him. To sacrifice for him. Then he smiled softly, leaning forwards.

Their lips met for a while, the kiss soft and tender, hesitant almost. Wally slowly placed a hand on her cheek, tilting his head slightly. Then, after a moment they both pulled back, slightly out of breath. But instead of smiling, Wally frowned.

"I do love you Arty.. I don't want to break up-" He stops himself, scratching the back of his neck. "But right now, I don't really know if I'm ready for a relationship.. y'know" Artemis grimaces at the confusion, knowing all too well what Wally meant. It was clear they both loved each other.

But considering what his dad had done to Wally, it was no wonder he was reluctant to start a relationship.

"That's fine with me Kid mouth" Artemis spoke but Wally shook his head.

"No Arty, you don't get it. I don't want to drag you down because I'm not ready for something serious right now, I don't even know if I'll ever be. I'm just saying… if you find someone else, I won't be mad" Artemis frowned at the sentence, clear anger in her eyes.

"There will be no one else Wally. I don't care how many months you need, I'm here to stay Kid Idiot" She said, cursing suddenly. "I sound like one of those girls in a YA novel" She said, pretending to gag for a second. Wally barked out a laugh, despite the situation and Artemis couldn't hide the smirk on her face.

It had been too long since she heard Wally laugh genuinely. And she wouldn't ever admit it, but she loved the sound of his laugh.

"So what now?" Wally asks, slightly out of breath from laughing. Artemis sighs, leaning her head against the wall.

"You tell me" Artemis retorts, raising an eyebrow. "We go on with our crazy lives, and you try to settle and find a place for that asshole somewhere. We'll see how this affects our relationship" Wally looks at Arty for a moment, before a small smile appears on his face again, shrugging.

"Fine by me"

June 29th, 2011 16:15

Despite the fact that he was sure Uncle Barry would take the pen, he was still nervous. He could barely contain himself, wanting to just run over there, make time go faster. He had wanted this the moment he met Aunt Iris, the moment he had met Uncle Barry, and it was finally happening.

And still it couldn't come soon enough.

The doubt was still lingering, what if he actually didn't want him? What if he backed out at the last second. It was a big step, a huge step that would change them dramatically.

He felt Dick snake a hand towards his, and he looks down for a moment. His green eyes meet Dick's bright blue ones, for once not hidden by the sunglasses. An assuring smile was on his face, and Wally couldn't help but match it before drawing his attention to the front of the room again.

It was the final court hearing, and the paper was already on the desk of the Judge, ready to be signed and make the adoption final. He would finally be rid of his parents, and he could officially move into Barry and Iris' home. Not like he hadn't been sleeping his new room already for days.

They had already made a trip to Ikea, together with Dick. Luckily no restraining order this time, just new furniture to make Wally's room his.

"Are there any objections still?" The Judge broke the nervous daze Wally was in, and he snapped his head to the voice, seeing Barry and Iris look at him from where they were standing. Wally could only smile, and it seemed to be enough for the judge, sliding the paper towards them.

"Wally?" Iris asked softly, gesturing me to come forwards. I don't even know if I was supposed to come forwards, but I didn't care at the moment. Nobody made a move to stop me as I walked up to Iris and Barry. They both stood at either side of me and Barry took the pen first, putting down his signature, and Iris soon followed.

I was officially theirs.


End file.
